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PRIVATEERSMAN 


ADVENTURES BY SEA AND LAND, IN CIVIL 
AND SAVAGE LIFE, ONE HUNDRED 
YEARS AGO 


CAPTAIN MARRYAT 

A ** 

AUTHOR OF “KING’S OWN,” “PACHA OF MANY TALES,” “ VALERIE,” “SETTLERS 
IN CANADA,” “ MASTERMAN READY,” “ POOR JACK,” ETC., ETC. 



LIBRARY 

OF THE 

SUP.'. COUNCIL, 

SO.'JURiSDICTlON. 


LONDON 

GEORGE ROUTLEDGE AND SONS 

BROADWAY, LUDGATE HILL 
GLASGOW AND NEW YORK 


TZ3 


4 > 


PRINTED BY 

WYNKOOP, II ALLEN BECK & CO. P 
NEW YORK, U. S. A. 


Iflfepary of 


©jtdbafig© 

S u pre rfi e C o u n c & 1 

Aug iO» 1940 



THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 


CHAPTER I. 


We cruise off Hispaniola — Capture of a French Ship — Continue our 
Cruise — Make a Nocturnal Attack upon a Rich Planter’s Dwelling 
— Are repulsed with Loss. 

To Mistress . 

Respected Madam, 

In compliance with your request I shall now tran- 
scribe from the journal of my younger days some por- 
tions of my adventurous life. When I wrote, I painted 
the feelings of my heart without reserve, and I shall not 
alter one word, as I know you wish to learn what my 
feelings were then, and not what my thoughts may be 
now. They say that in every man’s life, however obscure 
his position may be, there would be a moral found, 
were it truly told. I think, Madam, when you have 
perused what I am about to write, you will agree with 
me, that from my history both old and young may gather 
profit, and I trust, if ever it should be made public, that, 
by Divine permission, such may be the result. Without 
further preface I shall commence with a narrative of my 
cruise off Hispaniola, in the Revenge privateer. 

The Revenge mounted fourteen guns, and was com- 
manded by Captain Weatherall, a very noted privateers- 
man. One morning at daybreak we discovered a vessel 
from the mast-head, and immediately made all sail in 
chase, crowding every stitch of canvas. As we neared, 


2 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 


we made her out to be a large ship, deeply laden, and we 
imagined that she would be an easy prize : but as we saw 
her hull more out of the water, she proved to be well 
armed, having a full tier of guns fore and aft. As it 
afterward proved, she was a vessel of 600 tons burden, 
and mounted twenty-four guns, having sailed from St. 
Domingo, and being bound to France. 

She had been chartered by a French gentleman (and 
a most gallant fellow we found him), who had acquired 
a large fortune in the West Indies, and was then going 
home, having embarked on board his whole property, 
as well as his wife and only son, a youth of about seven- 
teen. As soon as he discovered what we were, and the 
impossibility of escape from so fast a sailing vessel as the 
Revenge, he resolved to fight us to the last. Indeed he 
had every thing to fight for ; his whole property, his wife 
and his only child, his own liberty, and perhaps life, were 
all at stake, and he had every motive that could stimulate 
a man. As we subsequently learned, he had great diffi- 
culty in inspiring the crew with an equal resolution, and 
it was not until he had engaged to pay them the value of 
half the cargo, provided they succeeded in beating us off 
and forcing their way in safety to France, that he could 
rouse them to their duty. 

Won by his example, for he told them that he did not 
desire any man to do more than he would do himself, and 
perhaps more induced by his generous offer, the French 
crew declared they would support him to the last, went 
cheerfully to their guns, and prepared for action. When 
we were pretty near to him, he shortened sail ready for 
the combat, having tenderly forced his wife down below 
to wait in agony the issue of a battle on which depended 
every thing so dear to her. The resolute bearing of the 
vessel, and the cool intrepidity with which they had hove 
to to await us, made us also prepare on our side for a 
combat which we knew would be severe. Although she 
was superior to us in guns, yet, the Revenge being wholly 
fitted for war, we had many advantages, independent of 
our being very superior in men. Some few chase-guns 
were fired during our approach, when, having ranged up 
within a cable’s length of her, we exchanged broadsides 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 


3 


for half an hour, after which our captain determined 
upon boarding. We ran our vessel alongside, and 
attempted to throw our men on board, but met with a 
stout resistance. The French gentleman, who was at 
the head of his men, with his own hand killed two of our 
stoutest seamen, and mortally wounded a third, and, 
encouraged by his example, his people fought with such 
resolution that after a severe struggle we were obliged 
to retreat precipitately into our own vessel, leaving eight 
or ten of our shipmates weltering in their blood. 

Our captain, who had not boarded with us, was mud 
enraged at our defeat, stigmatizing us as cowards fo/ 
allowing ourselves to be driven from a deck upon which 
we had obtained a footing ; he called upon us to renew 
the combat, and leading the way he was the first on 
board of the vessel, and was engaged hand to hand with 
the brave French gentleman who had already made such 
slaughter among our men. Brave and expert with his 
weapon as Captain Weatherall undoubtedly was, he for 
once found rather more than a match in his antagonist ; 
he was slightly wounded, and would, I suspect, have had 
the worst of this hand-to-hand conflict, had not the 
whole of our crew, who had now gained the deck, and 
were rushing forward, separated him from his opponent. 
Out-numbered and over-matched, the French crew 
fought most resolutely, but notwithstanding their exer- 
tions, and the gallant conduct of their leader, we suc- 
ceeded in driving them back to the quarter-deck of the 
vessel. Here the combat was renewed with the greatest 
obstinacy, they striving to maintain this their last hold, 
and we exerting ourselves to complete our conquest. 
The Frenchmen could retreat no further, and our fore- 
most men were impelled against them by those behind 
them crowding on to share in the combat. Retreat being 
cut off, the French struggled with all the animosity and 
rage of mingled hate and despair ; while we, infuriated 
at the obstinate resistance, were filled with vengeance and 
a thirst for blood. Wedged into one mass, we grappled 
together, for there was no room for fair fighting, seeking 
each other’s hearts with shortened weapons, struggling 
and falling together on the deck, rolling among the dead 


4 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 


and the dying, or trodden underfoot by the others who 
still maintained the combat with unabated fury. 

Numbers at last prevailed ; we had gained a dear- 
bought victory — we were masters of the deck, we had 
struck the colors, and were recovering our lost breaths 
after this very severe contest, and thought ourselves in 
full possession of the ship ; but it proved otherwise. 
The first lieutenant of the privateer and six of us had 
dashed down the companion, and were entering the cabin 
in search of plunder, when we found opposed to our 
entrance the gallant French gentleman, supported by his 
son, the captain of the vessel, and five of the French 
sailors ; behind them was the French gentleman’s wife, 
to whose protection they had devoted themselves. The 
lieutenant, who headed us, offered them quarter, but, 
stung to madness at the prospect of the ruin and of the 
captivity which awaited him, the gentleman treated the 
offer with contempt, and rushing forward attacked our 
lieutenant, beating down his guard, and was just about to 
pierce him with the lunge which he made, when I fired my 
pistol at him to save the life of my officer. The ball 
entered his heart, and thus died one of the bravest men 
I ever encountered. His son at the same time was felled 
to the deck with a pole-ax, when the remainder threw 
themselves down on the deck and cried for quarter. So 
enraged were our men at this renewal of the combat that 
it required all the efforts and authority of the lieutenant 
to prevent them from completing the massacre by taking 
the lives of those who no longer resisted. But who could 
paint the condition of that unhappy lady who had stood 
a witness of the horrid scene — her eyes blasted with the 
sight of her husband slain before her face, her only son 
groaning on the deck and weltering in his blood ; and 
she left alone, bereft of all that was dear to her ; stripped 
of the wealth she was that morning mistress of, now a 
widow, perhaps childless, a prisoner, a beggar, and in the 
hands of lawless ruffians, whose hands were reeking with 
her husband’s and offspring’s blood, at their mercy, and 
exposed to every evil which must befall a beautiful and 
unprotected female from those who were devoid of all 
principle, all pity, and all fear ! Well might the frantic 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 


5 


creature rush as she did upon our weapons, and seek 
that death which would have been a mercy and a blessing. 
With difficulty we prevented her from injuring herself, 
and, after a violent struggle, nature yielded, and she 
sank down in a swoon on the body of her husband, 
dabbling her clothes and hair in the gore which floated 
on the cabin-deck. This scene of misery shocked even 
the actors in it. Our sailors, accustomed as they were 
to blood and rapine, remained silent and immovable, 
resting upon their weapons, their eyes fixed upon the 
unconscious form of that unhappy lady. 

The rage of battle was now over, our passions had 
subsided, and we felt ashamed of a conquest purchased 
with such unutterable anguish. The noise of this renewed 
combat had brought down the captain ; he ordered the 
lady to be taken away from this scene of horror, and to 
be carefully tended in his own cabin ; the wound of the 
son, who was found still alive, was immediately dressed, 
and the prisoners were secured. I returned on deck, 
still oppressed with the scene I had witnessed, and when 
I looked round me, and beheld the deck strewed with 
the dead and dying — victors and vanquished indiscrim- 
inately mixed up together — the blood of both nations 
meeting on the deck and joining their streams, I could 
not help putting the question to myself, “ Can this be right 
and lawful — all this carnage to obtain the property of 
others, and made legal by the quarrel of kings ? ” Reason, 
religion, and humanity answered, “No.” 

I remained uneasy and dissatisfied, and felt as if I 
were a murderer ; and then I reflected how this property, 
thus wrested from its former possessor, who might, if he 
had retained it, have done much good with it, would non 
be squandered away in riot and dissipation, in pur- 
chasing crime and administering to debauchery. I was 
young then, and felt disgusted and so angry with myself 
and every body else that if I had been in England I prob- 
ably should never again have put my feet on board of a 
privateer. 

But employment prevented my thinking ; the decks 
had to be cleaned, the bodies thrown overboard, the 
blood washed from the white planks, the wounded to be 


6 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 


removed and their hurts dressed, the rigging and other 
damages to be repaired, and when all this had been done 
we made sail for Jamaica with our prize. Our captain, 
who was as kind and gentle to the vanquished as he was 
brave and resolute in action, endeavored by all the 
means he could think of to soften the captivity and 
sufferings of the lady. Her clothes, jewels, and every 
thing belonging to her, were preserved untouched ; he 
would not even allow her trunks to be searched, and 
would have secured for her even all her husband’s per- 
sonal effects, but the crew had seized upon them as 
plunder, and refused to deliver them up. I am almost 
ashamed to say that the sword and watch of her husband 
fell to my lot, and, whether from my wearing the sword, 
or from having seen me fire the pistol which had killed 
him, the lady always expressed her abhorrence of me 
whenever I entered her presence. Her son recovered 
slowly from his wound, and on our arrival at Port Royal 
was permitted by the admiral to be sent to the King’s 
Hospital, and the lady, who was most tenderly attached 
to him, went on shore and remained at the Hospital to 
attend upon him. I was glad when she was gone, for I 
knew how much cause she had for her hatred of me, and 
I could not see her without remorse. As soon as we had 
completed our repairs, filled up our provisions and water, 
we sailed upon another cruise, which was not so suc- 
cessful, as you will presently perceive. 

For five or six weeks we cruised without success, and 
our people began to grumble, when one morning our 
boats in shore off Hispaniola surprised a small schooner. 
A negro who was among the prisoners offered to conduct 
us through the woods by night to the house of a very 
rich planter, which was situated about three miles from 
a small bay, and at some distance from the other plant- 
ations. He asserted that we might there get very val- 
uable plunder, and, moreover, obtain a large ransom for 
the planter and his family, besides bringing away as 
many of the negro slaves as we pleased. 

Our captain, who was tired of his ill-success, and who 
hoped also to procure provisions, which we very much 
wanted, consented to the negro’s proposal, and standing 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 


7 


down abreast of the bay, which was in the Bight of 
Lugan, he ran in at dark, and anchoring close to the 
shore we landed with forty men, and, guided by the 
negro, we proceeded through the woods to the house. 
The negro was tied fast to one of our stoutest and best 
men, for fear he should give us the slip. It was a bright 
moonlight ; we soon arrived, and surrounding the 
house forced our way in without opposition. Having 
secured the negroes in the out-houses, and placed guards 
over them, and videttes on the lookout to give timely 
notice of any surprise, we proceeded to our work of 
plunder. The family, consisting of the old planter and 
his wife and his three daughters, two of them very beau- 
tiful, was secured in one room. No words can express 
their terror at thus finding themselves so suddenly in the 
power of a set of ruffians, from whose brutality they 
anticipated every evil. Indeed, the horrid excesses com- 
mitted by the privateersmen when they landed in the 
coast fully justified their fears ; for as this system of 
marauding is considered the basest of all modern warfare, 
no quarter is ever given to those who are taken in the 
attempt. In return, the privateersmen hesitate at no 
barbarity when engaged in such enterprises. 

Dumb with astonishment and terror, the old couple sat 
in silent agony, while the poor girls, who had more evils 
than death to fear, drowned in their tears, fell at the 
captain’s feet and embraced his knees, conjuring him to 
spare and protect them from his men. 

Captain Weatherall, who was, as I have before stated, 
a generous and humane man, raised them up, assuring 
them, on his word, that they should receive no insult ; 
and as his presence was necessary to direct the motions of 
his people, he selected me, as younger and less brutal 
than most of his crew, as a guard over them, menacing 
me with death if I allowed any man to enter the room 
until he returned, and ordering me to defend them with 
my life from all insults. I was then young and full of 
enthusiasm ; my heart was kind, and I was pure in com- 
parison with the major portion of those with whom I was 
associated. 

I was delighted with the office confided to me, and my 


8 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 


heart leaped at having so honorable an employment. I 
endeavored by every means in my power to dissipate 
their terrors and soothe their anxious minds ; but while 
I was thus employed, an Irish seaman, distinguished even 
among our crew for his atrocities, came to the door, 
and would have forced his entrance. I instantly opposed 
him, urgingthe captain’s most positive conmands ; but, 
having obtained a sight of the young females, he swore with 
a vile oath that he would soon find out whether a boy like 
me was able to oppose him, and finding that I would not 
give way he attacked me fiercely. Fortunately I had the 
advantage of position, and, supported by the justice of 
my cause, I repelled him with success. But he renewed 
the attack, while the poor young women awaited the issue 
of the combat with trembling anxiety — a combat on 
which depended, in all probability, their honor and their 
lives. At last I found myself very hard pushed, for I 
had received a wound on my sword arm, and I drew a 
pistol from my belt with my left hand, and fired it, 
wounding him in the shoulder. Thus disabled, and fear- 
ing at the same time that the report would bring back 
the captain, who he well knew would not be trifled with, 
he retired from the door vowing vengeance. I then 
turned to the young women, who had witnessed the con- 
flict in breathless suspense, encircled in the arms of the 
poor old couple, who had rushed toward them at the 
commencement of the fray, offering them their useless 
shelter. Privateersman as I was, I could not refrain 
from tears at the scene. I again attempted to reassure 
them, pledged myself in the most solemn manner to 
forfeit my life if necessary for their protection, and they 
in some degree regained their confidence. They observed 
the blood trickling down my fingers from the wound 
which I had received, and the poor girls stained their 
handkerchiefs with it in the attempts to staunch the flow. 

But this scene was soon interrupted by an alarm. It 
appeared that a negro had contrived to escape and to 
rouse the country. They had collected together from the 
other plantations, and our party being, as is usually the 
case when plunder is going on, very negligent, the videttes 
were surprised, and had hardly time to escape and apprise 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 


9 


us of our danger. There was not a moment to be lost ; 
our safety depended upon an immediate retreat. The 
captain collected all hands ; and while he was getting 
them together, that the retreat might be made in good 
order, the old planter, who, by the report of the fire-arms 
and the bustle and confusion without, guessed what had 
taken place, pressed me to remain with them, urging the 
certainty of our men being overpowered, and the merci- 
less consequences which would ensue. He pledged 
himself, with his fingers crossed in the form of the cru- 
cifix, that he would procure me safe quarter, and that I 
should ever enjoy his protection and friendship. I re- 
fused him kindly but firmly, and he sighed and said no 
more. The old lady put a ring on my finger, which she 
took from her own hand, and kissing my forehead told 
me to look at that ring and continue to do good and act 
nobly as I had just done. 

I waved my hand, for I had no time even to take the 
proffered hands of the young ones, and hastened to join 
my shipmates, already on the retreat, and exchanging 
shots with our pursuers. We were harassed by a multi- 
tude, but they were a mixed company of planters, mu- 
lattoes, and slaves, and not half of them armed, and we 
easily repelled their attacks whenever they came to close 
quarters. Their violent animosity, however, against us 
and our evil doings induced them to follow close at our 
heels, keeping up a galling irregular fire, and endeavor- 
ing to detain us until we might be overpowered by their 
numbers, every minute increasing, for the whole country 
had been raised, and were flocking in. This our captain 
was well aware of, and therefore made all the haste that 
he could, without disturbing the regularity of his retreat, 
to where our boats were lying, as should they be surprised 
and cut off our escape would have been impossible. 
Nothwithstanding all his care, several of our men were 
separated from us by the intricacies of the wood, or from 
wounds which they had received, and which prevented 
them from keeping up with us. At last, after repelling 
many attacks, each time more formidable than the pre- 
ceding, we gained our boats, and embarking with the 
greatest precipitation we put off for the schooner. The 


10 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 


enemy, emboldened by our flight, flocked down in great 
numbers to the water’s edge, and we had the mortifica- 
tion to hear our stragglers who had been captured implor- 
ing for mercy ; but groans and then silence too plainly 
informed us that mercy had been denied. 

Captain Weatherall was so enraged at the loss of his 
men that he ordered us to pull back and attack the 
enemy on the beach, but we continued to pull for the 
schooner, regardless of his threats and entreaties. A 
panic had seized us all, as well it might. We even 
dreaded the ill-aimed and irregular fire which they 
poured upon us, which under other circumstances would 
have occasioned only laughter. The schooner had been 
anchored only two hundred yards from the beach, and 
we were soon on board. They continued to fire from 
the shore, and the balls passed over us. We put a spring 
upon our cable, warped our broadside to the beach, and 
loading every gun with grape and cannister we poured a 
whole broadside upon our assailants. From the shrieks 
and cries, the carnage must have been very great. The 
men would have reloaded and fired again, but the cap- 
tain forbade them, saying, “We have done too much 
already.” I thought so too. He then ordered the 
anchor to be weighed, and with a fresh land breeze we 
were soon far away from this unlucky spot. 


CHAPTER II. 


We are pursued by two Schooner-Privateers, and failing to escape 
them a terrible Contest ensues — Three acts of a Murderous Naval 
Drama — We are worsted — Captain Weatherall is killed — I am 
plundered and wounded. 

About six weeks after the unlucky affair before de- 
scribed we met with a still greater disaster. We had 
cruised off the Spanish main, and taken several prizes ; 
shortly after we had manned the last and had parted 
company, the Revenge being then close in shore, a fresh 
gale sprung up, which compelled us to make all sail t</ 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 


II 


clear the land. We beat off shore during the whole of 
the night, when the weather moderated, and at daybreak 
we found out that we had not gained much offing, in 
consequence of the current ; but, what was more 
important, the man who went to the look-out at the 
mast-head hailed the deck, saying there were two sails in 
the offing. The hands were turned up to make sail in 
chase, but we found that they were resolutely bearing 
down upon us ; and as we neared each other fast we 
soon made them out to be vessels of force. One we 
knew well — she was the Esperance, a French schooner- 
privateer, of sixteen guns and one hundred and twenty 
men ; the other proved to be a Spanish schooner-priva- 
teer, cruising in company with her, of eighteen guns, 
and full manned. 

Now our original complement of men had been some- 
thing more than one hundred ; but by deaths, severe 
wounds in action, and manning our prizes, our actual 
number on board was reduced to fifty-five effective men. 
Finding the force so very superior, we made every 
attempt with sails and sweeps to escape, but the land to 
leeward of us, and their position to windward, rendered 
it impossible. Making, therefore, a virtue of necessity, 
we put a good face upon it, and prepared to combat 
against such desperate odds. 

Captain Weatherall, who was the life and soul of his 
crew, was not found wanting on such an emergency. 
With the greatest coolness and intrepidity he gave orders 
to take in all the small sails, and awaited the coming 
down of the enemy. When every thing was ready for 
the unequal conflict, he ordered all hands aft, and 
endeavored to inspire us with the same ardor which 
animated himself. He reminded us that we had often 
fought and triumphed over vessels of much greater 
force than our own ; that we had already beaten off the 
French privateer on a former occasion ; that the 
Spaniard was not worth talking about, except to swell 
the merits of the double victory, and that if once we 
came hand to hand our cutlasses would soon prove our 
superiority. He reminded us that our only safety 
depended upon our own manhood ; for we had done 


12 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 


such mischief on the coast, and our recent descent upon 
the plantation was considered in such a light, that we 
must not expect to receive quarter if we were overcome. 
Exhorting us to behave well and to fight stoutly, he 
promised us the victory. The men had such confidence 
in the captain that we returned him three cheers, when, 
dismissing us to our quarters, he ordered St. George’s 
ensign to be hoisted at the main- masthead, and hove to 
for the enemy. 

The French schooner was the first which ranged up 
alongside : the wind was light and she came slowly 
down to us. The captain of her hailed, saying that his 
vessel was the Esperance, and our captain replied that 
he knew it, and that they also knew that his was the 
Revenge. The French captain, who had hove to, 
replied very courteously that he was well aware what 
vessel it was, and also of the valor and distinguished 
reputation of Captain Weatherall, upon which Captain 
Weatherall, who stood on the gunnel, took off his hat in 
acknowledgment of the compliment. 

Now Captain Weatherall was well known, and it was 
also well known that the two vessels would meet with a 
severe resistance, which it would be as well to avoid, as 
even if they gained the victory it would not be without 
great loss of men. The French captain therefore 
addressed Captain Weatherall again, and said he hoped 
now that he was opposed to so very superior a force, he 
would not make a useless resistance, but, as it would be 
no disgrace to him, and would save the lives of many of 
his brave men, his well-known humanity would induce 
him to strike his colors. 

To this request our commander gave a gallant and 
positive refusal. The vessels lay now close to each 
other so that a biscuit might have been thrown on board 
of either. A generous expostulation ensued, which con- 
tinued till the Spanish vessel was a short distance astern 
of us. 

“ You now see our force,” said the French captain. 
“ Do not fight against impossible odds, but spare your 
brave and devoted men.” 

“ In return for your kind feeling toward me,” 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 


13 


replied Captain Weatherall, “ I offer you both quarter, 
and respect to private property, upon hauling down your 
colors.” 

“ You are mad, Captain Weatherall,” said the French 
captain. 

“ You allow that I have lived bravely,” replied Captain 
Weatherall ; “ you shall find that I will conquer you, and 
if necessary I will also die bravely. We will now fight. 
In courtesy, I offer you the first broadside.” 

“ Impossible,” said the French captain, taking off his 
hat. 

Our captain returned the salute, and then, slipping 
down from the gunwale, ordered the sails to be filled, 
and after a minute, to give the Frenchman time to prepare, 
he fired off in the air the fusee which he held in his hand, 
as a signal for the action to begin. We instantly com- 
menced the work of death by pouring in a broadside. It 
was returned with equal spirit, and afurious cannonading 
ensued for several minutes, when the Spaniard ranged 
up on our lee quarter with his rigging full of men to 
board us. Clapping our helm a-weather, and hauling our 
fore sheets to windward, we fell off athwart his hawse, 
and raked him with several broadsides fore and aft ; our 
guns having been loaded with langridge and lead bullets, 
and his men being crowded together forward, ready to 
leap on board of us, her deck became a slaughter-house. 
The officers endeavored in vain to animate their men, 
who instead of gaining our decks, were so intimidated by 
the carnage that they forsook their own. The French- 
man, perceiving the consternation and distress of his 
consort, to give her an opportunity of extricating herself 
from her perilous condition, now put his helm a-weather, 
ran us on board, and poured in his men ; but we were 
well prepared, and soon cleared our decks of the intru- 
ders. In the mean time the Spaniard, by cutting away 
our rigging, in which his bowsprit was entangled, swung 
clear of us, and fell away to leeward. The Frenchman 
perceiving this sheered off, and springing his luff, shot 
ahead clear of us. Such was the first act of this terrible 
drama. We had as yet sustained little damage, the 
enemy’s want of skill, and our good fortune combined, 


14 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 


having enabled us to take them at such a disadvan- 
tage. 

But, although inspired by such a prosperous beginning 
our inferiority in men was so great that our captain con- 
sidered it his duty to make all sail in hopes of being able 
to avoid such an unequal combat. This our enemies 
attempted to prevent by a most furious cannonade, which 
we received and returned without flinching, making a 
running fight of it, till at last, our fore -yard and foretop- 
mast being shot away, we had no longer command of the 
vessel. Finding that, although we were crippled and 
could not escape, our fire continued unabated, both the 
vessels again made preparations for boarding us, while we 
on our part prepared to give them a warm reception. 

As we knew that the Frenchman, who was our most 
serious opponent, must board us on our weather-bow, we 
traversed over four of our guns, loaded to the muzzle 
with musket-balls, to receive him, and being all ready 
with our pateraroes and hand grenades we waited for the 
attack. As he bore down for our bows, with all his men 
clinging like bees, ready for the spring, our guns were 
discharged and the carnage was terrible. The men stag- 
gered back, falling down over those who had been killed 
or wounded, and it required all the bravery and example 
of the French captain, who was really a noble fellow, to 
rally the remainder of his men, which at last he succeeded 
in doing, and about forty of them gained our forecastle 
from which they forced our weak crew, and retained pos- 
session, not following up the success, but apparently 
waiting till they were seconded by the Spaniard’s board- 
ing us on our lee quarter, which would have placed us 
between two fires, and compelled us to divide our small 
force. 

By this time the wind, which had been light, left us, 
and it was nearly a calm, with a swell on the sea which 
separated the two vessels ; the Spaniard, who was rang- 
ing up under our lee, having but little way, and not 
luffing enough, could not fetch us, but fell off and drifted 
to leeward. The Frenchmen who had been thrown on 
board, and who retained possession of our forecastle, 
being thus left without support from their own vessel, 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 


15 


which had been separated from us by the swell, or from 
the Spaniard, which had fallen to leeward, we gave three 
cheers, and throwing a number of hand grenades in 
among them we rushed forward with our half-pikes, and 
killed or drove every soul of them overboard, one only, 
and he wounded in the thigh, escaped by swimming back 
to his own vessel. Here, then, was a pause in the con- 
flict, and thus ended, I may say, the second act. 

Hitherto the battle had been fought with generous 
resolution ; but after this hand-to-hand conflict, and the 
massacre with which it ended, both sides appeared to 
have been roused to ferocity. A most infernal cannonade 
was now renewed by both our antagonists, and returned 
by us with equal fury ; but it was now a dead calm, and 
the vessels rolled so much with the swell that the shot 
were not so effective. By degrees we separated more 
and more from our enemies, and the firing was now 
reduced to single guns. During this partial cessation 
our antagonists had drawn near to each other, although 
at a considerable distance from us. We perceived that 
the Spaniard was sending two of his boats full of men to 
supply the heavy loss sustained by his comrade. Captain 
Weatherall ordered the sweeps out, and we swept our 
broadside to them, trying by single guns to sink the boats 
as they went from one vessel to the other. After two 
or three attempts, a gun was successful ; the shot shat- 
tered the first of the boats, which instantly filled and 
went down. The second boat pulled up and endeavored 
to save the men, but we now poured our broadside upon 
them, and, daunted by the shot flying about them, they 
sought their own safety by pulling back to their vessel, 
leaving their sinking companions to their fate. Failing 
in this attempt, both vessels recommenced their fire upon 
us, but the distance and the swell of the sea prevented any 
execution, and at last they ceased firing, waiting till a 
breeze should spring up, which might enable them to 
renew the contest with better success. 

At this time it was about eleven o’clock in the fore- 
noon, and the combat had lasted about five hours. We 
refreshed ourselves after the fatigue and exertion which 
we had undergone, and made every preparation for a 


1 6 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 


renewal of the fight. During the engagement we were 
so excited that we had no time to think ; but now that 
we were cool again and unoccupied, we had time to reflect 
upon our position, and we began to feel dejected and 
apprehensive. Fatigued with exertion, we were weak 
and dispirited. We knew that our best men were slain 
or groaning under their severe wounds, that the enemy 
were still numerous, and, as they persevered after so 
dreadful a slaughter, that they were of unquestionable 
bravery and resolution. Good fortune, and our captain’s 
superior seamanship, had, up to the present, enabled us 
to make a good fight, but fortune might desert us, and 
our numbers were so reduced that if the enemy contin- 
ued resolute we must be overpowered. Our gallant cap- 
tain perceived the despondency that prevailed, and en- 
deavored to remove it by his own example and by per- 
suasion. After praising us for the resolution and cour- 
age we had already shown, he pointed out to us that, 
whatever might be the gallantry of the officers, it was 
clear that the men on board of the opposing vessels were 
awed by their heavy loss and want of success, and that 
if they made one more attempt to take us by the board 
and failed, which he trusted they would do, no persua- 
sion would ever induce them to try it again, and the 
captains of the vessels would give over such an unprofit- 
able combat. He solemnly averred that the colors should 
never be struck while he survived, and demanded who 
among us were base enough to refuse to stand by them. 
Again we gave him three cheers, but our numbers were 
few, and the cheers were faint compared with the first 
which had been given, but still we were resolute, and 
determined to support our captain and the honor of our 
flag. Captain Weatherall took care that this feeling 
should not subside — he distributed the grog plentifully ; 
at our desire he nailed the colors to the mast, and we 
waited for a renewal of the combat with impatience. At 
four o’clock in the afternoon a breeze sprang up, and 
both vessels trimmed their sails and neared us fast — not 
quite in such gallant trim as in the morning, it is true — 
but they appeared now to have summoned up a deter- 
mined resolution. Silently they came up, forcing their 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 1 7 

way slowly through the water ; not a gun was fired, but 
the gaping mouths of the cannon, and their men motion- 
less at their quarters, portended the severity of the 
struggle which was now to decide this hitherto well- 
contested trial for victory. When within half a cable’s 
length, we saluted them with three cheers, they returned 
our defiance, and running up on each side of us, the 
combat was renewed with bitterness. 

The Frenchman would not this time lay us on board 
until he was certain that the Spaniard had boarded us 
to leeward ; he continued luffing to windward and plying 
us with broadsides until we were grappled with the 
Spaniard, and then he bore down and laid his gunwale 
on our bow. The Spaniard had already boarded us on 
the quarter, and we were repelling this attack when 
the Frenchman laid us on the bow. We fought with 
desperation, and our pikes gave us such an advantage 
over the swords and knives of the Spaniards that they 
gave ground, and, appalled by the desperate resistance 
they encountered, quitted our decks, strewed with their 
dead and dying shipmates, and retreated in confusion 
to their own vessel. But before this repulse had been 
effected, the French had boarded us on the weather-bow, 
and driving before them the few men who had been sent 
forward to resist them, had gained our main deck, and 
forced their way to the rise of the quarter-deck, where 
all our remaining men were now collected. The combat 
was now desperate, but after a time our pikes, and the 
advantage of our position, appeared to prevail over num- 
bers. We drove them before us — we had regained the 
main deck, when our brave commander, who was at our 
head, and who had infused spirit into us all, received a 
bullet through his right wrist ; shifting his sword into 
his left hand, he still pressed forward encouraging us, 
when a ball entered his breast and he dropped dead. 
With his fall fell the courage and fortitude of his crew, 
so long sustained — and to complete the mischief, the 
lieutenant and two remaining officers also fell a few sec- 
onds after him. Astonished and terrified, the men 
stopped short in their career of success, and wildly looked 
round for a leader. The French, who had retreated to 


i8 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 


the forecastle, perceiving our confusion, renewed the 
attack, our few remaining men were seized with a panic, 
and throwing down our arms, we asked for quarter 
where a moment before victory was in our hands ; — such 
was the finale of our bloody drama. 

Out of fifty-five men twenty-two had been killed in 
this murderous conflict, and almost all the survivors des- 
perately or severely wounded. Most of the remaining 
crew after we had cried for quarter jumped down the 
hatchway, to avoid the cutlasses of their enraged victors. 
I and about eight others, having been driven past the 
hatchway, threw down our arms and begged for quarter, 
which we had little reason to expect would be shown to 
us. At first no quarter was given by our savage enemies, 
who cut down several of our disarmed men and hacked 
them to pieces. Perceiving this, I got on the gunwale 
ready to jump overboard, in the hopes of being taken up 
after the slaughter had ceased, when a French lieuten- 
ant coming up protected us, and saved the poor remains 
of our crew from the fury of his men. Our lives, how- 
ever, were all he counted upon preserving — we were in- 
stantly stripped and plundered without mercy. I lost 
every thing I possessed ; the watch, ring, and sword I 
had taken from the gallant Frenchman were soon forced 
from me, and, not stripping off my apparel fast enough 
to please a Mulatto sailor, I received a blow with the 
butt-end of a pistol under the left ear, which precipitated 
me down the hatchway, near which I was standing, and 
I fell senseless into the hold. 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 


19 


CHAPTER III. 


We are sent in, on board the Revenge, and treated with great cruelty 
— Are afterward recaptured by the Hero privateer, and retaliate 
on the French — I am taken to the hospital at Port Royal, where I 
meet the French lady — Her savage exultation at my condition — 
She is punished by one of my comrades. 

On coming to my senses, I found myself stripped 
naked and suffering acute pain. I found that my right 
arm was broken, my shoulder severely injured by my fall ; 
and, as I had received three severe cutlass-wounds 
during the action, I had lost so much blood that I had 
not strength to rise or do any thing for myself. There I 
lay, groaning and naked, upon the ballast of the vessel, 
at times ruminating upon the events of the action, upon 
the death of our gallant commander, upon the loss of our 
vessel, of so many of our comrades, and of our liberty. 
After some time, the surgeon, by order of the French 
commander, came down to dress my wounds. He 
treated me with the greatest barbarity. As he twisted 
about my broken limb I could not help crying at the 
anguish which he caused me. He compelled me to 
silence by blows and maledictions, wishing I had broken 
my rascally neck rather than he should have been put to 
the trouble of coming down to dress me. However, 
dress me he did, out of fear of his captain, who, he knew 
well, would send round to see if he had executed his 
orders, and then he left me, with a kick in the ribs by way 
of remembrance. Shortly afterward the vessels separated. 
Fourteen of us, who were the most severely hurt, were 
left in the Revenge, which was manned by an officer and 
twenty Frenchmen, with orders to take her into Port-au- 
Paix. The rest of our men were put on board of the 
French privateer, who sailed away in search of a more 
profitable adventure. 

About an hour after they had made sail on the vessel, 
the officer who had charge of her, looking down the 
hatchway, and perceiving my naked and forlorn condi- 
tion, threw me a pair of trowsers, which had been rejected 


20 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 


by the French seamen as not worth having ; and a check 
shirt, in an equally ragged condition, I picked up in the 
hold ; this, with a piece of old rope to tie round my neck 
as a sling for my broken arm, was my whole wardrobe. 
In the evening I gained the deck, that I might be 
refreshed by the breeze, which cooled my feverish body 
and somewhat restored me. 

We remained in this condition for several days, 
tortured with pain, but more tortured, perhaps, by the 
insolence and bragging of the Frenchmen, who set no 
bounds to their triumph and self-applause. Among those 
who had charge of the prize were two, one of whom had 
my watch and the other my ring ; the first would hold it 
to me grinning and asking if Monsieur would like to know 
what o’clock it was ; and the other would display the 
ring, and tell me that his sweetheart would value it when 
she knew it was taken from a conquered Englishman. 
This was their practice every day, and I was compelled 
to receive their gibes without venturing a retort. 

On the eleventh day after our capture, when close to 
Port-au-Paix, and expecting we should be at anchor 
before nightfall, we perceived a great hurry and confu- 
sion on deck ; they were evidently making all the sail 
they could make upon the vessel ; and then, hearing them 
fire off their stern-chasers, we knew for certain that they 
were pursued. Overjoyed at the prospect of being 
released, we gave three cheers. The French from the 
deck threatened to fire down upon us, but we knew that 
they dared not, for the Revenge was so crippled in the 
fight that they could not put sail upon her so as to escape, 
and their force on board was too small to enable them to 
resist if overtaken — we therefore continued our exulting 
clamors. At last we heard guns fired and the shot 
whizzing over the vessel — a shot or two struck our hull, 
and soon afterward, a broadside being poured into us, 
the Frenchmen struck their colors, and we had the 
satisfaction of seeing all these Gasconaders driven down 
into the hold to take our places. It was now their turn 
to be dejected and downcast, and for us to be merry ; 
and now also the tables had to be turned, and we took 
the liberty of regaining possession of our clothes and 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 


21 


other property which they carried on their backs and 
in their pockets. I must say we showed them no 
mercy. 

“ What o’clock is it, Monsieur ? ” said I to the fellow 
who had my watch. 

“ At your service, sir,” he replied, humbly taking out 
my watch, and presenting it to me. 

“ Thank you,” said I, taking the watch, and saluting 
him with a kick in the stomach, which made him double 
up and turn round from me, upon which I gave him 
another kick in the rear to straighten him again. “ That 
ring, Monsieur, that your sweetheart will prize.” 

“ Here it is,” replied the fellow, abjectly. 

“Thank you, sir,” I replied, saluting him with the 
double kick which I had given to the former. “ Tell 
your sweetheart I sent her those,” cried I, “ that is, when 
you get back to her.” 

“ Hark ye, brother,” cries one of our men, “ I’ll 
trouble you for that jacket which you borrowed of me the 
other day, and in return here are a pair of iron garters 
(holding out the shackles), which you must wear for my 
sake — I think they will fit you well.” 

“ Mounseer,” cries another, “ that wig of mine don’t 
suit your complexion, I’ll trouble you for it. It’s a pity 
such a face as yours should be disfigured in those curls. 
And while you are about it, I’ll thank you to strip alto- 
gether, as I think your clothes will fit me, and are much 
too gay for a prisoner.” 

“ I was left naked through your kindness the other 
day,” said I to another, who was well and smartly dressed, 
“ I’ll thank you to strip to your skin, or you shall have 
no skin left.” And I commenced with my knife cutting 
his ears as if I would skin them. 

It was a lucky hit of mine, for in his sash I found about 
twenty doubloons. He would have saved them, and held 
them tight, but after my knife had entered his side about 
half an inch he surrendered the prize. After we had 
plundered and stripped them of every thing, we set to to 
kick them, and we did it for half an hour so effectually 
that they were all left groaning in a heap on the ballast, 
and we then found our way on deck. 


22 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 


The privateer which had recaptured us proved to be 
the Hero, of New Providence; the Frenchmen were 
taken out, and some of her own men put in to take us to 
Port Royal ; we, being wounded, and not willing to join 
her, remained on board. On our arrival at Port Royal, 
we obtained permission to go to the King’s Hospital to be 
cured. As I went up stairs to the ward allotted to me, I 
met the French lady whose husband had been killed, and 
who was still nursing her son at the hospital, his wounds 
not having been yet cured. Notwithstanding my altered 
appearance, she knew me again immediately, and seeing 
me pale and emaciated, with my arm in a sling, she 
dropped down on her knees, and thanked God for returning 
upon our heads a portion of the miseries we had brought 
upon her. She was delighted when she heard how many 
of us had been slain in the murderous conflict, and even 
rejoiced at the death of poor Captain Weatherall, which, 
considering how very kind and considerate he had been 
to her, I thought to be very unchristian. 

It so happened that I was not only in the same ward 
but in the cradle next to her son ; and the excitement I 
had been under when we were recaptured, and my exer- 
tion in kicking the Frenchmen, had done me no good. 
A fever was the consequence, and I suffered dreadfully, 
and she would look at me, exulting in my agony, and 
mocking my groans ; till at last the surgeon told her it 
was by extreme favor that her son had been admitted 
into the hospital instead of being sent to prison, and that 
if she did not behave herself in a proper manner he would 
order her to be denied admittance altogether ; and that 
if she dared to torment suffering men in that way, on the 
first complaint on my part, her son should go to the gaol 
and finish his cure there. This brought her to her senses, 
and she begged pardon, and promised to offend no 
more : but she did not keep her word for more than a 
day or two, but laughed out loud when the surgeon was 
dressing my arm, for a piece of bone had to be taken out, 
and I shrieked with anguish. This exasperated one of 
my messmates so much that, not choosing to strike her, 
and knowing how to wound her still worse, he drove his 
fist into the Jiead of her son as he lay in his cradle, and 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 


2 3 


by so doing reopened the wound that had been nearly 
healed. 

“ There’s pain for you to laugh at, you French devil,” 
he cried. 

And sure enough it cost the poor young man his life. 

The surgeon was very angry with the man, but told 
the French lady, as she kneeled sobbing by the side of 
her son, that she had brought it upon herself and him by 
her own folly and cruelty. I know not whether she felt 
so, or whether she dreaded a repetition, but this is certain, 
she tormented me no more. On the contrary, I think 
she suffered very severely, as she perceived that I rapidly 
mended and that her poor son got on but slowly. At 
last my hurts were all healed, and I left the hospital, 
hoping never to see her more. 


CHAPTER IV. 

Sail for Liverpool in the Sally and Kitty — Fall in with a Gale — Boy 
Overboard — Nearly drowned in attempting to save him — See the 
Owners at Liverpool — Embark in the Dalrymple for the coast of 
Africa — Arrive off Senegal. 

A great deal of prize-money being due to us, I called 
upon the agent at Port Royal to obtain an advance. I 
found him in a puzzle. Owing to the death of Captain 
Weatherall and so many of the officers, he hardly knew 
whether those who applied to him were entitled to prize- 
money or not. Whether he thought I appeared more 
honest than the others, or from what cause I know not, he 
requested me, as I knew every thing that had passed, 
to remain with him for a short time ; and, finding that I 
could read and write well, he obtained from me correct 
lists of the privateer’s crew, with those who were killed, 
and on what occasion. All this information I was able 
to give him, as well as the ratings of the parties ; for on 
more than one occasion the privateer’s-men had come to 
him representing themselves as petty officers when they 
were only common seamen on board, and had in conse- 


24 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 


quence received from him a larger advance than they 
were entitled to. As soon as his accounts were pretty 
well made up, he asked me whether I intended to go to 
England, as if so he would send me home, with all the 
papers and documents to the owner at Liverpool, who 
would require my assistance to arrange the accounts ; and, 
as I had had quite enough of privateering for a time, I 
consented to go. About two months after leaving the 
hospital, during which I had passed a very pleasant life, 
and quite recovered from my wounds and injuries, I 
sailed for Liverpool in the Sally and Kitty West-India- 
man, commanded by Captain Clarke, a very violent man. 

We had not sailed twelve hours before we fell in with a 
gale, which lasted several days, and we kept under close- 
reef-topsails and storm-staysails. The gale lasting a 
week raised a mountainous swell, but it was very long 
and regular. On the seventh day the wind abated, but 
the swell continued, and at evening there was very little 
wind, when a circumstance occurred which had nearly 
cost me my life, as you will acknowledge, Madam, when 
I relate the story to you. During the dog-watch, between 
six and eight, some hands being employed in the foretop, 
the other watch below at supper, and the captain and 
all the officers in the cabin, I being at the helm, heard a 
voice, apparently rising out of the sea, calling me by 
name. Surprised, I ran to the side of the ship, and saw 
a youth named Richard Pallant in the water going astern. 
He had fallen out of the forechains, and, knowing that I 
was at the helm, had shouted to me for help. I immedi- 
ately called all hands, crying, A man overboard. The 
captain hastened on deck with all the others, and ordered 
the helm a-lee. The ship went about, and then fell round 
off, driving fast before the swell, till at last we brought 
her to. 

The captain, although a resolute man, was much 
confused and perplexed at the boy’s danger — for his 
friends were people of property at Ipswich, and had 
confided the boy to his particular care. He ran back- 
ward and forward, crying out that the boy must perish, 
as the swell was so high that he dared not send a boat, 
for the boat could not live in such a sea, and if the boat 


the privateersman. 


*5 

were lost with the crew there would not be hands enough 
left on board to take the vessel home. As the youth 
was not a hundred yards from the vessel, I stated the 
possibility of swimming to him with the deep-sea line, 
which would be strong enough to haul both him and the 
man who swam to him on board. Captain Clarke, in a 
great rage, swore that it was impossible, and asked me 
who the devil would go. Piqued at his answer, and 
anxious to preserve the life of the youth, I offered to try 
it myself. I stripped, and, making the line fast round 
my body, plunged from the ship’s side into the sea. It 
was a new deep-sea line, and stiff in the coil, so that, 
not drawing close round me, it slipped, and I swam 
through it, but catching it as it slipped over my feet, I 
made it secure by putting my head and one arm through 
the noose. I swam direct for the boy, and found that I 
swam with ease, owing to the strength and buoyant 
nature of the water in those latitudes. I had not swum 
more than half-way before the line got foul on the coil 
on board, and,* checking me suddenly, it pulled me back- 
ward and under water. I recovered myself, and struck 
out again. During this time, to clear the line on board, 
they had cut some of the entangled parts, and in the 
confusion and hurry severed the wrong part, so that the 
end went overboard, and I had half the coil of line 
hanging to me, and at the same time was adrift from the 
ship. They immediately hailed me to return, but from 
the booming of the waves I could not hear what they 
said, and thought that they were encouraging me to pro- 
ceed. I shouted in return to show the confidence which 
I had in myself. I easily mounted the waves as they 
breasted me, but still I made my way very slowly against 
such a swell, and saw the boy only at intervals when I 
was on the top of the wave. He could swim very little, 
and did not make for the ship, but, with his eyes fixed 
upon the sky, paddled like a dog to keep himself above 
water. I now began to feel the weight of the line upon 
me, and to fear that I should never hold out. I began 
to repent of my rashness, and thought I had only sacri- 
ficed myself without any chance of saving him. I per- 
severed, nevertheless, and having, as I guessed, come to 


26 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 


the spot where the boy was, I looked round, and not 
seeing him was afraid that he had gone down, but on 
mounting the next wave I saw him in the hollow, strug- 
gling hard to keep above water, and almost spent with 
his long exertion. 

I swam down to him, and, hailing him, found he was 
still sensible, but utterly exhausted. I desired him to 
hold on by my hand but not to touch my body, as we 
should both sink. He promised to obey me, and I held 
out my right hand to him, and made a signal for them 
to haul in on board, for I had no idea that the line had 
been cut. I was frightened when I perceived the dis- 
tance that the ship was from me — at least a quarter of a 
mile. I knew that the deep-sea line was but a hundred 
fathoms in length, aud therefore that I must be adrift, 
and my heart sunk within me. All the horrors of my 
situation came upon me, and I felt that I was lost ; fyut 
although death appeared inevitable, I still struggled for 
life — but the rope now weighed me down more and 
more. While swimming forward it trailed behind, and 
although it impeded my way, I did not feel half its 
weight. Now, however, that I was stationary, it sank 
deep, and pulled me down with it. The waves, too, 
which, while I breasted them and saw them approach, I 
easily rose over, being now behind us, broke over our 
heads, burying us under them, or rolling us over by their 
force. 

I tried to disengage myself from the line, but the 
noose being jammed, and having the boy in one hand, I 
could not possibly effect it. But what gave me courage 
in my difficulties was, that I perceived that the people 
on board were getting out the boat ; for although the 
captain would not run the risk for one person, now that 
two were overboard, and one of them risking his life for 
the other, the men insisted that the boat should be 
hoisted out. It was an anxious time to me, but at last I 
had the satisfaction of seeing her clear of the ship, and 
pulling round her bow. The danger was, however, con- 
sidered so great, that when they came to man the boat 
only three men could be found who would go in her, and 
in the confusion they came away with but two oars and 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 


27 


no rudder. Under these disadvantages they of course 
pulled very slowly against a mountainous sea, as they 
were obliged to steer with the oar to meet it, that the 
boat might not be swamped. But the sight of the boat 
was sufficient to keep me up. My exertions were 
certainly incredible ; but what will not a man do when 
in fear of death ! As it approached — slowly and slowly 
did my powers decrease. I was now often under water 
with the boy, and rose again to fresh exertion, when at 
last a crested wave broke over us, and down we went 
several feet under the water. The force of the sea drove 
the boy against me, and he seized me by the loins with 
my head downwards. I struggled to disengage myself ! 
It was impossible. I gave myself up for lost — and what 
a crowd of thoughts and memories passed through my 
brain in a few moments, for it could not have been 
longer ! At last, being head downwards, I dived deeper, 
although I was bursting from so long holding my breath 
under water. 

This had the desired effect. Finding me sinking 
instead of rising with him, the boy let go his hold that 
he might gain the surface. I turned and followed him, 
and drew breath once more. Another moment had 
sealed our fates. I no longer thought of saving the boy, 
but struck out for the boat which was now near me. 
Perceiving this, the boy cried out to me for pity’s sake 
not to leave him. I felt myself so far recovered from 
my exhaustion, that I thought I could save him as well 
as myself, and compassion induced me to turn back. I 
again gave him my hand, charging him on his life not to 
attempt to grapple with me, and again resumed the 
arduous struggle of keeping him as well as myself above 
water. My strength was nearly gone, the boat approached 
but slowly, and we now sunk constantly under the water, 
rising every few seconds to draw breath. Merciful God ! 
how slow appeared the approach of the boat. Struggle 
after struggle — fainter and fainter still — still I floated. 
At last my senses almost left me, and I took in water in 
quantities. I felt I was in green fields, when I was 
seized by the men and thrown into the bottom of the 
boat, where I lay senseless alongside of the boy. There 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 


28 

was great danger and difficulty in getting again to the 
ship. More than once the boat was half filled by the 
following seas, and when they gained the ship it was 
impossible to get us out, as, had they approached the 
side, the boat would have been dashed to atoms. They 
lowered the tackles from the yard-arms. The three 
men clambered up them, leaving us to take our chance 
of the boat being got in, or her being stove to pieces, in 
which latter case we should have been lost. They did 
get us in, with great damage to the boat, but we were 
saved. The line was still round me, and it was found 
that I had been supporting the weight of seventy yards. 
So sore was I with such exertion, that I kept my ham- 
mock for many days, during which I reviewed my past 
life, and vowed amendment. 

We arrived at Liverpool without any further adven- 
ture worth recording, and I immediately called upon the 
owner with the papers intrusted to me. I gave him all 
the information he required, and he asked me whether I 
should like to return to privateering, or to go as mate of 
a vessel bound to the coast of Africa. I inquired what 
her destination was to be, and, as I found that she was 
to go to Senegal for ivory, wax, gold dust, and other 
articles, in exchange for English prints and cutlery, I 
consented. I mention this, as, had she been employed 
in the slave-trade, as were most of the vessels from. Liver- 
pool to the Coast, I would not have joined her. A few 
days afterward I went on board of the Dalrymple, 
Captain Jones, as mate ; we had a very quick passage to 
Senegal, and brought our vessel to an anchor off the bar. 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 


20 


CHAPTER V. 

In crossing the Bar at Senegal the boat is upset by a Tornado — We 
escape being devoured by Sharks only to be captured by the Natives 
— Are taken into the interior of the country, and brought before the 
Negro King, from whose wrath we are saved by the intercession of 
his female attendants. 

A day or two after we had arrived, the master of an- 
other vessel that was at anchor near to us came on board 
and borrowed our long-boat and some hands that he 
might go in it to Senegal. The captain, who was an old 
friend of the party who made the request, agreed to lend 
it to him, and as accidents are very frequent with boats 
crossing the bar, on account of the heavy breakers, the 
best swimmers were selected for the purpose, and the 
charge of the boat was given to me. We set off, five 
men rowing and I at the helm. When we approached 
the bar, a tornado, which had been for some time threat- 
ening, came upon us. The impetuosity of these blasts 
is to be matched in no part of the world, and as it came 
at once in its full force, we endeavored, by putting the 
boat before it, to escape its fury. This compelled us to 
run to the southward along the coast. We managed to 
keep the boat up for a long while, and hoped to have 
weathered it, when, being on the bar, and in broken 
water, a large wave curled over us, filled the boat, and 
it went down in an instant. 

Our only chance now was to reach the shore by swim- 
ming, but it was at a distance, with broken water the 
whole way ; and our great terror was from the sharks, 
which abound on the coast and are extremely ravenous 
— nor were we without reason for our alarm. Scarcely 
had the boat gone down, and we were all stretching out 
for the shore, when one of our men shrieked, having 
been seized by the sharks, and instantly torn to pieces. 
His blood stained the water all around, and this attract- 
ing all the sharks proved the means of our escape. 
Never shall I forget the horrible sensation which I felt 
as I struggled through the broken water, expecting 
every minute a, limb to be taken off by one of those vora- 


30 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 


cious animals. If one foot touched the other, my heart 
sunk, thinking it was the nose of a shark, and that its 
bite would immediately follow. Agonized with these 
terrors, we struggled on — now a large wave curling ovei 
us and burying us under water, or now forced by the 
waves toward the beach, rolling us over and over. So 
battered were we by the surf, that we dived under the 
waves to escape the blows which we received, and then 
rose and struck out again. At last, worn out with exer- 
tion, we gained the shore, but our toil was not over. 

The beach was of a sand so light that it crumbled 
beneath us, and at the return of the wave which threw 
us on the shore we were dragged back again and buried 
in sand and water. We rose to renew our endeavors, 
but several times without success, for we could not 
obtain a firm footing. At last the Negroes, who had 
witnessed our accident, and who now came down in 
great numbers on the beach, laid hold of us as the sea 
threw us up, and dragged us beyond the reach of the 
waves. Worn out with fatigue we lay on the sand, wait- 
ing to ascertain what the savages would do with us ; 
they were not long in letting us know, for they soon 
began to strip us of every article of clothing on our 
backs. One of our men attempted to resist, upon which 
a Negro drove a spear through his thigh. 

Having divided our apparel, after some consultation, 
they tied our hands, and placing us in the midst of a 
large force, armed with spears and bows and arrows, 
they went off with us for the inland part of the country. 
We set off with heavy hearts : taking, as we thought, a 
last farewell of the ocean, and going forward in great 
apprehension of the fate that awaited us. The sand was 
very deep, and the heat of the sun excessive, for it was 
then about noon. Without any garments, we were soon 
scorched and blistered all over, and in intolerable anguish, 
as well as fatigued ; but the Negroes compelled us to 
move on, goading us with their spears if we slackened 
our pace, and threatening to run us through if we made 
a halt. We longed for the night, as it would afford a 
temporary relief to our sufferings. It came at last, and 
the Negroes collected wood and lighted a fire to keep 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 


31 


off the wild beasts, lying round it in a circle, and placing 
us in the midst of them. We hoped to have some rest 
after what we had gone through, but it was impossible — 
the night proved even worse than the day. The mus- 
quitoes came down upon us in such swarms, and their 
bites were so intolerable, that we were almost frantic. 
Our hands being tied, we could not beat them off, and 
we rolled over and over to get rid of them. This made 
matters worse, for our whole bodies being covered with 
raised blisters, from the rays of the sun, our rolling over 
and over broke the blisters, and the sand getting into 
the wounds, added to the bites of the musquitoes, made 
our sufferings intolerable. We had before prayed for 
night, we now prayed for day. Some prayed for death. 

When the sun rose, we set off again, our conductors 
utterly disregarding our anguish, and goading us on as 
before. In the forenoon we arrived at a village, where 
our guards refreshed themselves ; a very small quantity 
of boiled corn was given to each of us, and we continued 
our journey, passing by several small towns, consisting, 
as they all do in that country, of huts built of reeds, round 
in form, and gathered to a point at top. This day was 
the same as the preceding. We were pricked with spears 
if we stumbled or lagged, threatened with death if we had 
not strength to go on. At last the evening arrived, and 
the fires were lighted. The fires were much larger than 
before, I presume because the wild beasts were more 
numerous, for we heard them howling in every direction 
round us, which we had not done on the night before. 
The musquitoes did not annoy us so much, and we 
obtained some intervals of broken rest. At daylight we 
resumed our journey, as near as we could judge by the 
sun, in a more easterly direction. 

During the first two days we were badly received by 
the inhabitants of the towns, whose people had been kid- 
napped so often for the slave-trade ; they hated the 
sight of our white faces, for they presumed that we had 
come for that purpose ; but as we advanced in the 
interior, we were better treated, and the natives looked 
upon us with surprise and wonder, considering us as a 
new race of beings. Some of the women, seeing how 


/ 


32 THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 

utterly exhausted we were with fatigue and hunger, 
looked with compassion on us, and brought us plenty of 
boiled corn and goats’ milk to drink. This refreshed us 
greatly, and we continued our journey in anxious expect- 
ation of the fate for which we were reserved. 

On crossing a small river, which appeared to be the 
boundary of two different states, a multitude of negroes 
approached, and seemed disposed to take us from our 
present masters, but after a conference, they agreed 
among themselves, and a party of them joined with those 
who had previously conducted us. We soon came to the 
edge of a desert, and there we halted till the Negroes had 
filled several calabashes and gourds full of water, and 
collected a quantity of boiled corn. As soon as this was 
done, we set off again, and entered the desert. We were 
astonished and terrified when we looked around us — not 
a single vestige of herbage, not a blade of grass was to 
be seen — all was one wide waste of barren sand, so light 
as to rise in clouds at the least wind, and we sank so 
deep in walking through it that at last we could hardly 
drag one foot after the other. But we were repaid for 
our fatigue, for when we halted at night, no fires were 
lighted, and to our great delight we found there were no 
musquitoes to annoy us. We fell into a sound sleep, 
which lasted till morning, and were much refreshed ; 
indeed, so much so as to enable us to pursue our journey 
with alacrity. 

In our passage over the desert we saw numbers of 
elephants’ teeth, but no animals. How the teeth came 
there, unless it were that the elephants were lost in 
attempting to cross the desert, I can not pretend to say. 
Before we had crossed the desert, our water was 
expended, and we suffered dreadfully from thirst, walking 
as we did during the whole day under a vertical sun. 
The night was equally painful, as we were so tortured 
with the want of water ; but on the following day, when 
our strength was nearly exhausted, and we were debating 
whether we should not lie down and allow the spears of 
our conductors to put an end to our miseries, we came to 
the banks of a river which the Negroes had evidently 
been anxiously looking for. Here we drank plentifully, 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 


33 


and remained all the day to recruit ourselves, for the 
Negroes were almost as exhausted as we were. The next 
morning we crossed the river, and plunged into a deep 
wood : the ground being high, the musquitoes did not 
annoy us so much as they did on the low, marshy land 
near the sea-coast. During our traverse through the 
wood we subsisted solely upon the birds and animals 
which the Negroes killed with their bows and arrows. 

When we had forced our way through the forest, we 
found the country, as before, interspersed with wicker 
villages or small hamlets at a few miles’ distance from 
each other. Round each village there were small patches 
of Guinea corn, and we frequently came to clusters of 
huts which had been deserted. Between the sea-coast 
and the desert we had traversed we observed that many 
of the inhabitants had European firearms, but now the 
only weapons to be seen were spears and bows and 
arrows. As we advanced we were surrounded at every 
village by the natives, who looked upon us with surprise 
and astonishment, examining us, and evidently consider- 
ing us a new species. One morning we arrived at a very 
large Negro town, and as we approached, our guards 
began to swell with pride and exultation, and drove us 
before them among the crowds of inhabitants, singing 
songs of triumph, and brandishing their weapons. Having 
been driven through a great part of the town, we 
arrived at a number of huts separated by a high palisade 
from the rest, and appropriated, as we afterward found, 
to the use of the king of the country, his wives and 
attendants. Here we waited outside some time, while 
our guards went in and acquainted this royal personage 
with the present which they had brought for him. 

We had reason to think that our captors were not his 
subjects, but had been at variance with him, and had 
brought us as a present, that they might make peace 
with an enemy too strong for them. We were at last 
ordered to go inside the inclosure, and found ourselves 
in a large open building, constructed like the others, of 
reeds and boughs. In the center was squatted a 
ferocious-looking old Negro, attended by four young 
negro women. He was raw-boned and lean, and of a 
LIBRARY 

OF THE 

SUP/.COUNCIL, 

SO.* JURISDICTION* 


34 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 


very large frame. A diabolical ferocity was imprinted 
on his grim countenance, and as he moved his arms 
and legs he showed that under his loose skin there was 
a muscle of extraordinary power. I never had before 
seen such a living type of brutal strength and bar- 
barity. On a mat before him were provisions of 
different kinds. Behind him stood several grim 
savages who held his weapons, and on each side, at a 
greater distance, were rows of Negroes, with their heads 
bent down and their arms crossed, awaiting his orders. 
The chief or king, as well as the four women, had 
clothes of the blue cotton cloth of the country, that is, 
one piece wrapped round the loins and descending to the 
ankles, and another worn over their shoulders ; but, with 
few exceptions, all the rest, as well as the inhabitants 
generally, were quite naked. So were we, as the reader 
may recollect. Round the necks of the women were 
rows of gold beads, longer by degrees, until the last of 
the rows hung lower than their bosoms, and both the 
king and they had large braclets of gold round their 
arms, wrists, and legs. The women, who were young and 
well-looking, stared at us with eager astonishment, while 
the old king scowled upon us so as to freeze our blood. 
At last, rising from the ground, he took his saber from 
the man who held it behind him, and walked up among 
us, who with our heads bowed, and breathless with fear, 
awaited our impending fate. I happened to be standing 
the foremost, and grasping my arm with a gripe which 
made my heart sink, with his hand which held the sword 
he bent down my head still lower than it was. I made 
sure that he was about to cut off my head, when the 
women, who had risen from the ground, ran crowding 
round him, and with mingled entreaties and caresses 
strove to induce him not to put his intentions, if such he 
really had, into execution. They prevailed at last ; the 
youngest took away his sword, and then they led him 
back to his seat, after which the women came to us to 
gratify their curiosity. They felt our arms and breasts, 
putting innumerable questions to those who brought us 
thither. They appeared very much amazed at the length 
of my hair, for I had worn it tied in a long cue. Taking 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 


35 


hold of it, they gave it two or three severe pulls, to 
ascertain if it really grew to my head, and finding that it 
did so, they expressed much wonder. When their 
curiosity was satisfied, they then appeared to consider 
our condition, and having obtained the old king’s 
permission, they brought us a calabash full of cush-cush, 
that is, Guinea corn boiled into a thick paste. Our 
hands being still tied, we could only by shaking our 
heads express our inability to profit by their kindness. 
Understanding what we meant, they immediately cut our 
thongs, and the youngest of the four perceiving that my 
arms were benumbed from having been confined so many 
days, and that I could not use them, showed the most 
lively commiseration for my sufferings. She gently 
chafed my wrists with her hands, and showed every sign 
of pity in her countenance, as indeed did all the other 
three. But I was by far the youngest of the whole party 
who had been captured, and seemed most to excite their 
pity and good-will. Shortly afterward we were all taken 
into an adjoining tent or hut, and our bodies were rubbed 
all over with an oil, which after a few days’ application left 
us perfectly healed, and as smooth as silk. So altered 
was our condition, that those very people who had 
guarded us with their spears and threatened us with 
death, were now ordered to wait upon us, and as the 
king’s wives frequently came to see how we were treated, 
we were served with the utmost humility and attention. 


CHAPTER VI. 

I am given as a Slave to the old King’s Favorite, Whyna — Assist my 
young Mistress to make her Toilet — Hold frequent Conversa- 
tions with her, and become strongly attached to her — My Hatred 
and Dread of the old King increase — He shoots a Man with Bird- 
arrows. 

One morning, after we had been about three weeks in 
these comfortable quarters, I was summoned away from 
my companions into the presence of the king. When I 
came before him a small manacle was fixed round my left 


36 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 


ankle, and another round my left wrist, with a light chain 
connecting the two. A circle of feathers was put round 
my head, and a loose cloth wrapped round my loins. 

I was then led forward to him with my arms crossed 
over my breast, and my head bowed. By his orders I 
was then placed behind the youngest of the four women, 
the one who had chafed my wrists and I was given to 
understand that I was her slave, and was to attend upon 
her, to which, I must say, I gave a joyful assent in my 
heart, although I did not at that time show any signs of 
gladness. There I remained, with my arms folded, and 
bowed as before, until dinner was brought in, and a cala- 
bash full of cush-cush was put into my hands to place 
before the king and his wives. My first attempt at 
service was not very adroit, for, in my eagerness to do 
my duty, I tripped over the corner of the mat which 
served them for a table, and tumbling headlong forward, 
emptied the calabash of cush-cush which I held in my 
hand upon the legs of the old king, who sat opposite to 
where I was advancing. He jumped up roaring out with 
anger, while I in my fear sprung on my legs, and rushed 
to the side of the apartment, expecting immediate death. 
Fortunately the victuals in this country are always served 
up cool, and my new mistress easily obtained my pardon, 
laughing heartily at the scene, and at my apprehensions. 

The repast being over, I was ordered to follow my 
mistress, who retired to another hut, according to their 
custom, to sleep during the heat of the day. I was placed 
before the door to prevent her being disturbed. My 
only duty now was to attend upon my young mistress. 
She was the king’s favorite wife, and as she was 
uniformly kind and gentle, I should have almost ceased 
to lament my loss of liberty had it not been for the fear 
I had of the old monarch. I knew that my preservation 
depended entirely upon my mistress’s favor, and I 
endeavored all I could to conciliate her by the most 
sedulous attentions to please. Young and generous in 
disposition, she was easily satisfied by my ready obedience 
and careful service. I do not think that she was more 
than seventeen years of age; but they are women at 
fourteen in that country, and even earlier. She was a 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 


37 


Negress as to color, but not a real Negress ; for her hair, 
although short and very wavy, was not woolly, and her 
nose was straight. Her mouth was small, and her teeth 
beautiful. Her figure was perfect, her limbs being very 
elegantly formed. When she first rose in the morning, 
I attended her to the brow of a hill just without the pali- 
sades, where with devout but mistaken piety she adored 
the rising sun — at least it appeared to me that she did so. 
She then went down to the river to bathe, and as soon as 
her hair was dry she had it dressed. This office, after a 
short time, devolved upon me, and I became very expert, 
having to rub her hair with a sweet oil, and then roll it 
up in its natural curls with a quill, so as to dispose them 
to the most fanciful advantage as to form. 

After her toilet was complete, she went to feed her 
poultry, and some antelopes and other beasts, and then 
she practiced at a mark with her bow and arrows and 
javelin till about ten o’clock, when she went to the king’s 
hut and they all sat down to eat together. After the 
repast, which lasted some time, if she did not repose with 
the king, she retired to her own hut, where she usually 
refreshed herself till about four o’clock, when she returned 
to the king, or ranged the woods, or otherwise amused 
herself during the rest of the evening. I will say for the 
old savage that he did not confine his wives. Such was 
our general course of life, and wherever she went I at- 
tended her. The attachment I showed and really felt 
for her secured her confidence, and she always treated 
me in a kind and familiar manner. Their language con- 
sists of few words compared to our own, and in a short 
time, by help of signs, we understood each other tolerably 
well. She appeared to have a most ardent curiosity to 
know who we were, and whence we came, and all the 
time that we passed alone was employed in putting ques- 
tions, and my endeavoring to find out her meaning and 
answer them. This, although very difficult at first, I 
was eventually enabled to accomplish indifferently well. 
She was most zealous in her mistaken religion, and one 
morning when I was following her to her devotions on 
the hill, she asked me where my God was ? I pointed 
upward, upon which she told me with great joy and 


38 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 


innocency, that hers was there too, and that, therefore, 
they must be the same God, or if not they must be 
friends. Convinced that she was right, she made me 
worship with her, bowing my head down to the sand, and 
going through the same forms, which of course I did not 
understand the meaning of ; but I prayed to my God, and 
therefore made no objection, as it was pleasing to her. 
This apparent conformity in religion recommended me 
more strongly to her, and we became more intimate, and 
I was certainly attached to her by every tie of gratitude. 

I was quite happy in the friendship and kindness she 
showed toward me ; the only drawback was my fear of 
the proud old king, and the recollection of him often 
made me check myself, and suddenly assume a more 
distant and respectful demeanor toward her. I soon 
found out that she dreaded the old savage as much as I 
did, and hated him even more. In his presence she 
treated me very sternly, and ordered me about in a very 
dictatorial manner ; but when we were alone, and had no 
fear of being seen, she would then be very familiar, 
sometimes even locking her arm into mine, and laughing 
as she pointed out the contrast of the colors, and in the 
full gayety of her young heart rejoicing that we were 
alone, and could converse freely together. As she was 
very intelligent, she soon perceived that I possessed much 
knowledge that she did not, and that she could not 
comprehend what I wanted to teach her. This induced 
her to look upon me with respect as well as kindness. 

One day I purposely left her bow behind in the hut 
where my companions resided ; and on her asking me 
for it, I told her that I had done so, but that I would 
make my companions send it without my going back. I 
tore off a piece of the bark of a tree, and with the point 
of an arrow I wrote to one of them, desiring him to send 
it by bearer ; and calling a young Negro boy, told him 
in her presence to give that piece of bark to the white 
man, and come back again to the queen. Whyna, for 
such was the name of my mistress queen, stood in sus- 
pense, waiting the result ; in a few minutes the boy 
returned, bringing the bow. Astonished at this, she made 
me write again and again for her arrows, her lance, and 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 


39 


many other things. Finding by these being immediately 
sent that we had a method of communicating with each 
other at a distance, she earnestly insisted upon being 
taught so surprising an art. Going at a distance from 
me, she ordered me to talk to her when out of hearing, 
and finding that I could not, or, as she seemed to sup- 
pose, that I would not, she became discontented and out 
of humor. I could by no means make her comprehend 
how it was performed, but I made her understand that 
as soon as I was fully acquainted with her language, I 
should be able to teach her. She was satisfied with this, 
but made me promise that I would teach nobody else. 

By the canoes in the river, I easily made her com- 
prehend that I came in a vast boat from a distant land, 
over a great expanse of water, and also how it was that 
we fell into the Negroes’ power. I then found out from 
her that the Negroes had pretended that we had invaded 
their land to procure slaves, and that they had vanquished 
us in battle ; hence their songs of triumph on bringing 
us to the king. I pointed out the heavenly bodies to her 
in the evenings, trying to make her comprehend some- 
thing of their nature and motions, but in vain. This had, 
however, one good effect ; she looked up to me with 
more respect, hoping that some day, when I could fully 
explain myself, she might be herself taught all these 
wonders. With these feelings toward me, added to my 
sedulous endeavors to please her, and obey her slightest 
wishes, it is not surprising that she treated me as a com- 
panion, and not as a slave, and gave me every innocent 
proof of her attachment. More I never wished, and 
almost dreaded that our intimacy would be too great. 
Happy when alone with her, I ever returned with reluc- 
tance to the presence of the old king, whose sight and 
company I dreaded. 

The boundless cruelty of this monster was a continual 
check to all my happiness. Accustomed to blood from 
his childhood, he appeared wholly insensible to human 
feelings, and derided the agonies of the wretches who 
daily fell by his hands. One day he amused himself by 
shooting small bird-arrows at a man who was bound to a 
post before the tent, which was placed there for the 


40 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 


punishment of those who were his victims. He continued 
for hours fixing the arrows in different parts of his body, 
mimicking and deriding his cries. At last, contrary to 
his intentions, one of the arrows hit the man in the throat, 
and his head drooped. As the old savage saw that the 
poor man was dying, he drew another arrow and sent it 
through his heart, very much annoyed at his disappoint- 
ment in not prolonging the poor creature’s sufferings. I 
was witness to this scene with silent horror, and many 
more of a similar nature. I hardly need say, that I felt 
what my punishment would be if I had by any means 
roused the jealousy of this monster ; and I know that, 
without giving him real cause, a moment of bare suspi- 
cion would be sufficient to sacrifice my mistress as well as 
me. 


CHAPTER VII. 

I attend the King on a hunting Expedition — Chase of wild Animals — 
Whyna and I in great danger from a Tiger — Barbarity of the King 
to my young Mistress — I try to soothe her — I and my Companions 
are ransomed — Sad parting with Whyna — After an Encounter with a 
hostile People, we reach Senegal — Return to England. 

I had been about three months in captivity, when the 
old king, with his four wives and a large party of Ne- 
groes, left the town, and went into the woods to hunt. 
My companions were left in the town, but I was ordered 
to attend my mistress, and I went with the hopes of being 
able by some means to make my escape, for my fear of 
the old monarch was much greater than my regard for 
my mistress. As I had not become a proficient with the 
bows and arrows, or in hurling the javelin, I was equipped 
with a strong spear. My mistress was skillful to admira- 
tion with the arrow and javelin ; she never missed her 
aim that I knew, and she certainly never appeared to 
such advantage as she did at this hunting-party. Her 
activity, her symmetry of limb, her courage, her skill 
with her weapons, all won the heart of the old king ; and 
I believe that his strong attachment to her arose more 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 


41 


from her possession of the above qualities than from any 
other cause. Certain it is, that the old savage doted on 
her — she was the only being who could bend his stubborn 
will. As his age prevented him from joining in the chase 
he always appeared to part with her with regret, and to 
caution her not to run into useless danger ; and when we 
returned at night, the old man’s eyes sparkled with the 
rapture of dotage as he welcomed her return. 

The method of our chase was to beat the country, 
with a number of men, in a vast circle, until we had 
gathered all the game into one thicket ; then the strong- 
est warriors with their large spears went in and drove out 
the game, which was killed by the hunters who hovered 
about within the circle. 

The animals which we had to encounter were large, 
fierce, black pigs, leopards, jackals, tigers, mountain cats, 
and others which I have no name for ; — and in spite of 
the ferocity of many of these animals when they bounded 
out, they were met with such a shower of javelins, or 
transfixed by the strong stabbing-spears of the warriors, 
that few escaped and they rarely did any mischief. One 
day, however, the beaters having just entered a thicket, 
Whyna, who was eager for the sport, and plied within the 
circle with the other hunters, hearing a rustling in the 
jungle, went to the verge of it, to be the first to strike 
the animal which came out. As usual, I was close to her, 
when a large tiger burst out, and she pierced him with 
her javelin, but not sufficient to wound the animal so 
severely as to disable him. The tiger turned, and I drove 
my spear into his throat. This checked him, as it 
remained in, but in a spring which he gave the handle 
broke short off, and although the iron went further in, 
our danger was imminent. Whyna ran, and so did I, to 
escape from the beast’s fury ; for although, after I had 
wounded it with my spear, we had both retreated, we 
were not so far, but that in two or three bounds he would 
have been upon us. My mistress was as fleet as the wind, 
and soon passed me, but as she passed me she caught 
me by the hand, and dragged me along at such a pace 
that with difficulty I could keep my legs. The surround- 
ing hunters, alarmed at her danger, and knowing what 


42 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 


they had to expect from the mercy of the old king if she 
was destroyed by the animal, closed in between us and 
the tiger, and after a fierce combat, in which some were 
killed and many wounded, they dispatched him with their 
spears. The head of the animal, which was of unusual 
size, was cut off and carried home to the old king in 
triumph ; and when he heard of the danger that Whyna 
had been in, he caressed her with tears, and I could not 
help saying that the old wretch had some heart after all. 
Whyna told the king that if I had not pierced the 
animal with my spear, and prevented his taking his first 
spring, she should have lost her life, and the monster 
grinned a ghastly smile for me, which I presume he 
meant for either approbation or gratitude. 

At other times the chase would be that of the multitude 
of birds which were to be found in the woods. The 
bow and arrow only were used, and all I had to do now 
was to pick up all my mistress had killed, and return her 
arrows — she would constantly kill on the wing with her 
arrow, which not many could do besides her. By degrees 
I imbibed a strong passion for the sport, attended as it 
was with considerable danger, and was never so happy 
as when engaged in it. We remained about two months 
in the woods, when the king was tired, and we returned 
to the town, where I continued for some time to pass the 
same kind of life as I had done before. 

I should have been quite happy in my slavery, from 
my affection to my mistress, had not a fresh instance of 
the unbounded cruelty of the old monarch occurred a few 
days after our return from the chase, which filled us all 
with consternation and horror, for we discovered that 
not even my mistress, Whyna, could always prevail with 
the savage monster. 

One morning I perceived that one of the king’s guards, 
who had always treated me with great kindness, and 
with whom I was very intimate, was tied up to the exe- 
cutioner’s post before the hut. Aware of the fate which 
awaited him., I ran to the hut of Whyna, and so great 
was my distress that I could not speak ; all I could do 
was to clasp her knees and repeat the man’s name, 
pointing to the post to which he was tied. She under- 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 


43 


stood me, and eager to save the man, or to oblige me, 
she ran to the large hut, and attempted to intercede with 
the old barbarian for the man’s life ; but he was in an 
agony of rage and passion ; he refused her, lifting up 
his saber to dispatch the man ; Whyna was rash enough 
to seize the king’s arm, and prevent the blow ; at this 
his rage redoubled, his eyes glowed like live coals, and 
turning to her with the look of a demon, he caught her by 
the hair, and dragging her across his feet, lifted up his 
cimeter in the act to strike off her head. I sickened 
with horror at the danger she was in, but I thought he 
would not strike. I had no weapon, but if he had done so, I 
would have revenged her death, even if I had lost my 
life. At last the old monster let go her hair, spurning 
her away with his foot, so that she rolled over on the 
sand, and then turning to the unhappy man with an 
upward slanting blow of his saber, he ripped him up 
from the flank to the chest, so that his bowels fell down 
at his feet ; he then looked round at us all with an aspect 
which froze our blood, and turned away sulkily to his 
hut, leaving us to recover our spirits how we might. 

Poor Whyna, terrified and enraged at the same time, 
as soon as I had led her to her hut, and we were bv 
ourselves, gave way to the storm of passion which swelled 
her bosom, execrating her husband with the utmost 
loathing and abhorrence, and lamenting in the most 
passionate manner her having ever been connected with 
him. Trembling alike at the danger to which I had 
exposed her, and moved by her condition, I could not 
help mingling my tears with hers, and endeavored by 
caresses and condoling with her to reduce her excitement. 
Had the old king seen me, I know what both our fates 
would have been, but at that time I cared not. I was 
very young, very impetuous, and I was resolved that I 
would not permit either her or myself to die unavenged. 
At last she sobbed herself to sleep, and I took my usual 
station outside of the hut. It was well that I did so, for 
not five minutes afterward the old wretch, having got 
over his temper, came out of his tent and bent his steps 
toward the hut, that he might make friends with her, for 
she was too necessary to his happiness. He soon treated 


44 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 


her with his accustomed kindness, but I perceived that 
after the scene I have described her aversion for him 
was doubled. 

There were some scores of women in the various huts 
within the palisade, all of whom I understood were 
wives of the old monarch, but none but the four we 
found with him when we were first brought into his pres- 
ence were ever to be seen in his company. I had, by 
means of my kind mistress, the opportunity of constantly 
supplying my companions with fowls and venison, which 
was left from the king’s table, and through her care, they 
always met with kind and gentle usage. 

For another two months did I thus remain happy in 
the company of Whyna, and miserable when in the pres- 
ence of the king, whose eye it was impossible to meet 
without quailing ; when one morning we were all ordered 
out, and were surrounded by a large party armed with 
spears, javelins, and bird-arrows — I say bird-arrows, as 
those that they' use in war are much larger. We soon 
discovered that we were to be sent to some other place, 
but where or why, we could not find out. Shortly after- 
ward the crowd opened, and Whyna made her appear- 
ance. She took the feather circle off my head, and the 
manacles off my wrist and leg, and went and laid them at 
the king’s feet. She then returned, and told me that I 
was free as well as my companions, but that I only, if I 
chose, had permission to remain with her. 

I did not at first reply. She then in the most earnest 
manner, begged me to remain with her as her slave ; 
and as she did not dare to say what she felt, or use ca- 
resses to prevail upon me, so she stamped her little feet 
with eagerness and impatience. The struggle in my 
own heart was excessive. I presumed that we were 
about to be made a present to some other king, and I 
felt that I never could expect so easy and so pleasant a 
servitude as I then enjoyed. I was sincerely attached, 
and indeed latterly I was more than attached to Whyna ; 
I felt that it was dangerous. Had the old king been 
dead, I would have been content to pass my life with her ; 
and I was still hesitating, notwithstanding the remon- 
strances of my companions, when the crowd opened a 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 


45 


little, and I beheld the old king looking at me, and I felt 
convinced that his jealousy was at last aroused, and 
that if I consented to remain, my life would not be worth 
a day’s purchase. 

Whyna also turned, and met the look of the old king. 
Whether she read in his countenance what I did, I know 
not ; but this is certain, she made no more attempt to 
persuade me, but waving her hand for us to set off on 
our journey, she slowly retired, and when arrived at the 
hut turned round toward us. We all prostrated ourselves 
before her, -And then set off on our journey. She retired 
to the door of her own hut, and two or three times waved 
her hand to us, at which our guards made us every time 
again prostrate ourselves. She then walked out to the 
little hill where she always went up to pray, and for the 
last time waved her hand, and then I perceived her sink 
down on the ground, and turn her head in the direction 
which she always did when she prayed. 

We now proceeded on our journey in a north-west 
direction, our guards treating us with the greatest 
kindness. We rested every day from ten till four o’clock 
in the afternoon, and then walked till late at night. Corn 
was supplied us from the scattered hamlets as we passed 
along, and our escort procured us flesh and fowl with 
their bows and arrows ; but we were in a state of great 
anxiety to know where we were going, and nobody 
appeared able or willing to tell us. I often thought of 
Whyna, and at times repented that I had not remained 
with her, as I feared falling into a worse slavery, but the 
recollection of the old king’s diabolical parting look was 
sufficient to make me think that it was best as it was. 
Now that I had left my mistress, I thought of her kind- 
ness and amiable qualities and her affection for me ; 
and although it may appear strange that I should feel 
myself in love with a black woman, I will not deny but 
that I was so. I could not help being so, and that is all 
the excuse I can offer. 

Our guards now informed us that we were about to 
pass for a few miles through the territory of another 
king, and that they were not sure what our reception 
might be ; but this was soon made evident, for we 


4 6 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 


observed a party behind us, which moved as we moved, 
although they did not attack us ; and soon afterward a 
larger body in front were blocking up our passage, and 
we found that we were beset. The commander of our 
party, therefore, gave orders for battle, and he put into 
our hands strong spears, they being the only weapons we 
could use, and entreated us to fight. Our party was 
greatly outnumbered by the enemy, but ours were chosen 
warriors. As for us white men, we kept together, agree- 
ing among ourselves, that we would defend ourselves if 
attacked, but would not offend either party by taking an 
unnecessary part in the fray, as it was immaterial to us 
to whom we belonged. 

The battle, or rather skirmish, soon began. They 
dispersed, and shot their arrows from behind the trees, 
and this warfare continued some time without damage 
to either party, till at last they attacked us closely ; then, 
our commander killing that of the enemy, they gave way, 
just as another party was coming forward to attack us 
white men ; but finding us resolute in our defense, and 
our own warriors coming to our assistance, the rout was 
general. They could not, however, prevent some pris- 
oners from being taken ; most of them wounded with the 
bird-arrows, which, having their barbs twisted in the form 
of an S, gave great pain in their extraction. I observed 
that a particular herb, chewed, and bound up with the 
bleeding wound, was their only remedy, and that when 
the bone was injured, they considered the wound mortal. 

We now turned to the eastward to get back into our 
own territory ; we left the prisoners and wounded at a 
village, and receiving a reinforcement, we took a circuit 
to avoid this hostile people, and continued our route. 
On the eighth morning, just as we were stopping to repose, 
one of the warriors, who had mounted a hill before us, 
shouted and waved his hand. We ran up to him, and as 
soon as we gained the summit, were transported with the 
sight of the British flag flying on Senegal fort, on the 
other side of the river. We now understood that by some 
means or another we had been ransomed, and so it proved 
to be ; for the governor hearing that we were prisoners 
up the country, had sent messengers offering the old 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 


47 


king a handsome present for our liberation. I afterward 
found out that the price paid in goods amounted to about 
fifty-six shillings a head. The governor received us 
kindly, clothed us, and sent us down to the ship, which 
was with a full cargo in the road, and intending to sail 
the next day, and we were received and welcomed by 
our messmates as men risen from the dead. 

We sailed two days afterward, and had a fortunate 
voyage home to Liverpool. 


CHAPTER VIII. 


The Liverpool Ladies are very civil to me — I am admitted into good 
Society — Introduced to Captain Levee — Again sail to Senegal — 
Overhear a Conspiracy to seize the Ship by the Crew of a Slaver, 
but am enabled to defeat it — Am thanked and rewarded by the 
Owner — Take a trip to London with Captain Levee — Stopped by 
Highwaymen on the Road — Put up at a Tavern — Dissipated Town 
Life — Remove to a genteel Boarding-House — Meet with a Govern- 
ment Spy — Return to Liverpool. 

As the captain reported me to be a very attentive and 
good officer, although I was then but twenty-three years 
of age, and as I had been previously on good terms and 
useful to the owner, I was kindly received by him, and 
paid much more attention to than my situation on board 
might warrant. My captivity among the Negroes, and 
the narrative I gave of my adventures, were also a source 
of much interest. I was at first questioned by the gen- 
tlemen of Liverpool, and afterward one of the merchant’s 
ladies, who had heard something of my adventures, and 
found out that I was a young and personable man, with 
better manners than are usually to be found before the 
mast, invited me one evening to a tea-party, that I might 
amuse her friends with my adventures. They were most 
curious about the Negro queen, Whyna, inquiring into 
every particular as to her personal appearance and dress, 
and trying to find out, as women always do, if there was 
any thing of an intrigue between us. They shook their 
little fingers at me, when I solemnly declared that there 


48 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 


was not, and one or two of them cajoled me aside to 
obtain my acknowledgment of what they really believed 
to be the truth, although I would not confess it. 

When they had tired themselves with asking questions 
about the Negro queen, they then began to ask about 
myself, and how it happened I was not such a bear, and 
coarse in my manners and address, as the other seamen. 
To this I could give no other reply but that I had been 
educated when a child. They would fain know who 
were my father and mother, and in what station of life it 
had pleased God to place them ; but I hardly need say, 
my dear Madam, to you who are so well acquainted with 
my birth and parentage, that I would not disgrace my 
family by acknowledging that one of their sons was in a 
situation so unworthy ; not that I thought at the time, 
nor do I think now, that I was so much to blame in pre- 
ferring independence in a humble position, to the life 
that induced me to take the step which I did ; but as I 
could not state who my family were without also stating 
why I had quitted them, I preserved silence, as I did 
not think that I had any right to communicate family 
secrets to strangers. The consequences of my first 
introduction to genteel society were very agreeable ; I 
received many more invitations from the company 
assembled, notwithstanding that my sailor’s attire but ill 
corresponded with the powdered wigs and silk waistcoats 
of the gentlemen, or the hoops and furbelows of satin 
which set off the charms of the ladies. 

At first I did not care so much, but as I grew more at 
my ease, I felt ashamed of my dress, and the more so as 
the young foplings would put their glasses to their eyes, 
and look at me as if I were a monster. But supported 
as I was by the fair sex, I cared little for them. The 
ladies vowed that I was charming, and paid me much 
courtesy ; indeed my vanity more than once made me 
suspect that I was something more than a mere favorite 
with one or two of them, one especially, buxom young 
person, and very coquettish, who told me, as we were 
looking out of the bay window of the withdrawing-room, 
that since I could be so secret with respect to what took 
place between the Negress queen and myself, I must be 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 


49 


sure to command the good-will and favor of the ladies, 
who always admired discretion in so young and so 
handsome a man. But I was not to be seduced by this 
flattery, for somehow or another I had ever before me 
the French lady, and her conduct to me ; and I had 
almost a dislike, or I should rather say I had imbibed 
an indifference, for the sex. 

This admission into good society did, however, have 
one effect upon me ; it made me more particular in my 
dress, and all my wages were employed in the decoration 
of my person. At that time you may recollect, Madam, 
there were but two styles of dress among the seamen ; 
one was that worn by those who sailed in the northern 
seas, and the other by those who navigated in the tropi- 
cal countries, both suitable to the climates. The first 
was the jacket, woollen frock, breeches, and petticoat of 
canvas over all, with worsted stockings, shoes, and 
buckles, and usually a cap of skin upon the head ; the 
other a light short jacket, with hanging buttons, red 
sash, trowsers, and neat shoes, and buckles, with a small 
embroidered cap with falling crown, or a hat and feather. 
It was this last which I had always worn, having been 
continually in warm climates, and my hair was dressed 
in its natural ringlets instead of a wig, which I was never 
partial to, although very common among seamen ; my 
ears were pierced, and I wore long gold ear-rings, as well 
as gilt buckles in my shoes ; and, by degrees, I not only 
improved my dress so as to make it very handsome in 
materials, but my manners were also very much altered 
for the better. 

I had been at Liverpool about two months, waiting 
for the ship to unload and take in cargo for another 
voyage, when a privateer belonging to the same owner 
came into port with four prizes of considerable value ; 
and the day afterward I was invited by the owner to 
meet the captain who commanded the privateer. 

He was a very different looking person from Captain 
Weatherall, who was a stout, strong-limbed man, with a 
weather-beaten countenance. He, on the contrary, was 
a young man of about twenty-six, very slight in person, 
with a dark complexion, hair and eyes jet black. I 


5 ° 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 


should have called him a very handsome Jew — for he 
bore that cast of countenance, and I afterward dis- 
covered that he was of that origin, although I can not 
say that he ever followed the observances of that 
remarkable people. He was handsomely dressed, wear- 
ing his hair slightly powdered, a laced coat and waist- 
coat, blue sash and trowsers, with silver-mounted pistols 
and dagger in his belt, and a smart hanger by his side. 
He had several diamond rings on his finger, and carried 
a small clouded cane. Altogether, I had never fallen in 
with so smart and prepossessing a personage, and should 
have taken him for one of the gentlemen commanding 
the king’s ships, rather than the captain of a Liverpool 
privateer. He talked well and fluently, and with an air 
of command and decision, taking the lead in the com- 
pany, although it might have been considered that he 
was not by any means the principal person in it. The 
owner, during the evening, informed me that he was a 
first-rate officer, of great personal courage, and that he 
had made a great deal of money, which he had squan- 
dered away almost as fast as he received it. 

With this person, whose name was Captain Levee, 
(an alteration, I suspect, from Levi) I was much pleased ; 
and as I found that he did not appear to despise my 
acquaintance, I took much pains to please him, and we 
were becoming very intimate, when my ship was ready 
to sail. I now found that I was promoted to the office 
of first mate, which gave me great satisfaction. 

We sailed with an assorted cargo, but very light and 
nothing of consequence occurred during our passage 
out. We made good traffic on the coast as we ran down 
it, receiving ivory, gold-dust, and wax, in exchange for 
our printed cottons and hardware. After being six 
weeks on the coast, we put into Senegal to dispose of 
the remainder of our cargo ; which we soon did to the 
governor, who gave us a fair exchange, although by no 
means so profitable a barter as what we had made on the 
coast ; but that we did not expect for what might be 
called the refuse of our cargo. The captain was much 
pleased, as he knew the owner would be satisfied with 
him, and, moreover, he had himself a venture in the 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 


51 


cargo ; and we had just received the remainder of the 
ivory from the governor’s stores, and had only to get on 
board a sufficiency of provisions and water for our 
homeward voyage, when a circumstance took place 
which I must now relate. 

Our crew consisted of the captain, and myself, as first 
mate, the second mate, and twelve seamen, four of which 
were those who had been taken prisoner with me, and 
had been released, as I have related, in our previous 
voyage. These four men were very much attached to 
me, I believe chiefly from my kindness to them when I 
was a slave to the queen Whyna, as I always procured 
for them every thing which I could, and, through the 
exertions of my mistress, had them plentifully supplied 
with provisions from the king’s table. The second mate 
and other eight men we had shipped at Liverpool. They 
were fine, stout fellows, but appeared to be loose char- 
acters, but that we did not discover till after we had 
sailed. There was anchored with us at Senegal a low, 
black brig, employed in the slave-trade, which had made 
the bay at the same time that we did ; and to their great 
surprise — for she was considered a very fast sailor — she 
was beaten at all points by our ship, which was consid- 
ered the fastest vessel out of Liverpool. The crew of 
the slaver were numerous, and as bloodthirsty a set of 
looking fellows as ever I fell in with. Their boat was 
continually alongside of our vessel, and I perceived that 
their visits were made to the eight men whom we had 
shipped at Liverpool, and that they did not appear 
inclined to be at all intimate with the rest of the crew. 
This roused my suspicions, although I said nothing ; 
but I watched them very closely. One forenoon, as I 
was standing at the foot of the companion-ladder, con- 
cealed by the booby-hatch from the sight of those on 
deck, I heard our men talking over the side, and at last, 
as I remained concealed, that I might overhear the con- 
versation, one of the slaver’s men from the boat said, 
“ To-night, at eight o’clock, we will come to arrange the 
whole business.” The boat then shoved off, and pulled 
for the brig. 

Now, it was the custom of the captain to go on shore 


5 2 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 


every evening to drink sangaree and smoke with the gov- 
ernor, and very often I went with him, leaving the ship 
in charge of the second mate. It had been my inten- 
tion, and I had stated as much to the second mate, to 
go this evening, as it was the last but one that we should 
remain at Senegal ; but from what I overheard I made 
up my mind that I would not go. About an hour before 
sunset, I complained of headache and sickness, and sat 
down under the awning over the after part of the quar- 
ter-deck. When the captain came up to go on shore, 
he asked me if I was ready, but I made no answer, only 
put my hand to my head. 

The captain, supposing that I was about to be attacked 
by the fever of the country, was much concerned, and 
desired the second mate to help him to take me down to 
the state-room, and then went on shore ; the boat was, 
as usual, pulled by the four men who were prisoners 
with me, and whom the captain found he could trust on 
shore better than the others belonging to the crew, who 
would indulge in liquor whenever they had an opportun- 
ity. I remained in my bed-place till it was nearly eight 
o’clock, and then crept softly up the companion-hatch to 
ascertain who was on deck. 

The men were all below in the fore-peak at their sup- 
pers, and as I had before observed that their confer- 
ences were held on the forecastle, I went forward, and 
covered myself up with a part of the main-topsail, which 
the men had been repairing during the day. From this 
position I could hear all that passed, whether they went 
down into the fore-peak, or remained to converse on the 
forecastle. About ten minutes afterward I heard the 
boat grate against the ship’s side, and the men of the 
slaver mount on the deck. 

“ All right ? ” inquired one of the slavers. 

“Yes,” replied our second mate; “skipper and his 
men are on shore, and the first mate taken with the fever.” 

“ All the better,” replied another ; “ one less to han- 
dle. And now, my lads, let’s to business, and have 
every thing settled to-night, so that we may not be seen 
together any more till the work is done.” 

They then commenced a consultation, by which I 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 


53 


found it was arranged that our ship was to be boarded 
and taken possession of as soon as she was a few miles 
out of the bay, for they dared not attack us while we 
were at anchor close to the fort ; but the second mate 
and eight men belonging to us were to pretend to make 
resistance until beaten down below, and when the vessel 
was in their power, the captain, I, and the other four 
men who were ashore in the boat, were to be silenced for- 
ever. After which there came on a discussion as to 
what was to be done with the cargo, which was very val- 
uable, and how the money was to be shared out when 
the cargo was sold. Then they settled who were to be 
officers on board of the ship, which there is no doubt 
they intended to make a pirate vessel. I also discov- 
ered that, if they succeeded, it was their intention to kill 
their own captain and such men of the slaver who would 
not join them, and scuttle their own vessel, which was a 
very old one. 

The consultation ended by a solemn and most villian- 
ous oath being administered to every man as to secrecy 
and fidelity, after which the men of the slaver went into 
their boat, and pulled to their own vessel. The second 
mate and our men remained on deck about a quarter of 
an hour, and then all descended by the ladder to the 
fore-peak, and turned into their hammocks. 

As soon as I thought I could do so with safety, I came 
out of my lurking-place, and retreated to the state-room. 
It was fortunate that I did, for a minute afterward I 
heard a man on deck, and the second mate came down 
the companion-hatch, and inquired whether I wanted 
any thing. I told him no ; that I was very ill, and only 
hoped to be able to go to sleep, and asked him if the 
captain had returned. He replied that he had not, and 
then went away. As soon as I was left to myself, I 
began to consider what would be best to be done. I 
knew the captain to be a very timorous man, and I was 
afraid to trust him with the secret, as I thought he would 
be certain to let the men know by his conduct that they 
were discovered and their plans known. The four men 
who were prisoners with me I knew that I could confide 
in. This was the Tuesday night, and we proposed sail- 


54 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 


ing on the Thursday. Now we had no means of defense 
on board, except one small gun, which was honey- 
combed and nearly useless. It did very well to make a 
signal with, but had it been loaded with ball, I believe it 
would have burst immediately. It is true that we had 
muskets and cutlasses, but what use would they have 
been against such a force as would be opposed, and two- 
thirds of our men mutineers. Of course we must have 
been immediately overpowered. 

That the slavers intended to take possession of their 
own vessel before they took ours, I had no doubt. It is 
true that we outsailed them when we had a breeze, but 
the bay was usually becalmed, and it was not till a vessel 
had got well into the offing that she obtained a breeze, 
and there was no doubt but that they would take the 
opportunity of boarding us when we were moving slowly 
through the water, and a boat might easily come up with 
us. The slaver had stated his intention of sailing 
immediately to procure her cargo elsewhere, and if she 
got under weigh at the same time that we did, no sus- 
picion would be created. To apply for protection to the 
governor would be useless — he could not protect us after 
we were clear of the bay. Indeed, if it were known that 
we had so done, it would probably only precipitate the 
affair, and we should be taken possession of while at 
anchor, for the shot from the fort would hardly reach 
us. It was, therefore, only by stratagem that we could 
escape from the clutches of these miscreants. Again, 
allowing that we were to get clear of the slavers, we were 
still in an awkward position, for supposing the captain to 
be of any use we should still only be six men against nine, 
and we might be overpowered by our own crew, who 
were determined and powerful men. 

All night I lay on my bed reflecting upon what ought 
to be done, and at last I made up my mind. 

The next morning I went on deck, complaining very 
much, but stating that the fever had left me. The long- 
boat was sent on shore for more water, and I took care 
that the second mate and eight men should be those 
selected for the service. As soon as they had shoved 
off, I called the other four men on the forecastle, and 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 


55 


told them what I had overheard. They were very much 
astonished, for they had had no idea that there was any 
thing of the kind going forward. I imparted to them all 
my plans, and they agreed to support me in every thing — 
indeed, they were all brave men, and would have, if I 
had acceded to it, attempted to master and overpower the 
second mate and the others, and make sail in the night ; 
but this I would not permit, as there was a great risk. 
They perfectly agreed with me that it was no use acquaint- 
ing the captain, and that all we had to do was to get rid 
of these men, and carry the vessel home how we could. 
How that was to be done was the point at issue. One 
thing was certain, that it was necessary to leave the bay 
that night, or it would be too late. Fortunately, there 
was only a light breeze during the night, and the nights 
were dark, for there was no moon till three o’clock in the 
morning, by which time we could have gained the offing, 
and then we might laugh at the slaver, as we were lighter 
in our heels. The boat came off with the water about 
noon, and the men went to dinner. The captain had 
agreed to dine with the governor, and I had been asked 
to accompany him. It was to be our farewell dinner, as 
we were to sail the next morning. I had been cogitating 
a long while to find out how to get rid of these fel- 
lows, when at last I determined that I would go on shore 
with the captain, and propose a plan to the governor. His 
knowledge of what was about to be attempted could 
do no harm, and I thought he would help us ; so I went 
into the boat, and when we landed I told the men what I 
intended to do. As soon as I arrived at the governor’s 
I took an opportunity, while the captain was reading a 
book, to request a few moments’ conversation, and I then 
informed the governor of the conspiracy which was afloat, 
and when I had so done, pointed out to him the propriety 
of saying nothing to the captain until all was safe, and 
proposed my plan to him, which he immediately acceded 
to. When he returned to where the captain was still 
reading he told him that he had a quantity of gold-dust 
and other valuables, which he wished to send to England 
by his ship, but that he did not wish to do it openly, as 
it was supposed that he did not traffic, and that if the 


5 « 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 


captain would send his long-boat on shore after dark, he 
would send all the articles on board, with instructions to 
whom they were to be consigned on our arrival. The 
captain of course consented. We bade the governor 
farewell about half an hour before dark, and returned on 
board. After I had been a few minutes on deck, I sent 
for the second mate, and told him as a secret what the 
governor proposed to do, and that he would be required 
to land after dark for the goods, telling him that there 
was a very large quantity of gold-dust, and that he must 
be very careful. I knew that this intelligence would 
please him, as it would add to their plunder when 
they seized the vessel ; and I told him that as we sailed 
at daylight, he must lose no time, but be on board again 
as soon as he could, that we might hoist in the long-boat. 
About eight o’clock in the evening, the boat, with him 
and the eight men, went on shore. The governor had 
promised to detain them, and ply them with liquor, till 
we had time to get safe off. As soon as they were out of 
sight and hearing, we prepared every thing for getting 
under weigh. The captain had gone to his cabin, but 
was not in bed. I went down to him, and told him I 
should remain up till the boat returned, and see that all 
was right ; and that in the mean time I would get every 
thing ready for weighing the next morning, and that he 
might just as well go to bed now, and I would call him to 
relieve me at daylight. To this arrangement he consented ; 
and in half an hour I perceived that his candle was out, 
and that he had retired. Being now so dark that we 
could not perceive the slaver, which lay about three 
cables’ length from us, it was fairly to be argued that she 
could not see us ; I therefore went forward and slipped 
the cable without noise, and sent men up aloft to loose 
the sails. There was a light breeze, sufficient to carry 
us about two knots through the water, and we knew that 
it would rather increase than diminish. In half an hour, 
weak-handed as we were, we were under sail, every thing 
being done without a word being spoken, and with the 
utmost precaution. You may imagine how rejoiced we 
all were when we found that we had maneuvered so well ; 
notwithstanding, we kept a sharp look-out, to see if the 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 


57 


slaver had perceived our motions, and had followed us ; 
and the fear of such being the case kept us under alarm 
till near daylight, when the breeze blew strong, and we 
felt that we had nothing more to dread. As the day 
broke, we found that we were four or five leagues from 
the anchorage, and could not see the lower masts of the 
slaver, which still remained where we had left her. 

Satisfied that we were secure, I then went down to 
the captain, and, as he lay in bed, made him acquainted 
with all that had passed. He appeared as if awakened 
from a dream, rose without making any reply, and 
hastened on deck. When he found out that we were 
under weigh, and so far from the land, he exclaimed : 

“ It must all be true ; but how shall we be able to take 
the ship home with so few hands ? ” 

I replied that I had no fears on that score, and that I 
would answer for bringing the vessel safe to Liverpool. 

“ But,” he said at last, “ how is it that I was not 
informed of all this ? I might have made some arrange- 
ment with the men.” 

“ Yes, sir,” I replied, “but if you had attempted to do 
so, the vessel would have been taken immediately.” 

“ But why was I not acquainted with it, I want to 
know ? ” he said again. 

I had by this time made up my mind to the answer 
I should give him ; so I said, “ Because it would have 
placed a serious responsibility on your shoulders, if, as 
captain of this vessel, you had sailed to England with 
such a valuable cargo and so few hands. The governor 
and I, therefore, thought it better that you should not 
be placed in such an awkward position, and therefore 
we considered it right not to say a word to you about it. 
Now, if anything goes wrong, it will be my fault, and not 
yours, and the owner can not blame you.” When I had 
said this, the captain was silent for a minute or two, and 
then said : 

“ Well, I believe it is all for the best, and I thank you 
and the governor too.” 

Having got over this little difficulty, I did not care. 
We made all sail, and steered homeward ; and, after a 
rapid passage, during which we were on deck day and 


58 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 


night, we arrived, very much fatigued, at Liverpool. Of 
course the captain communicated what had occurred to 
the owner, who immediately sent for me, and having 
heard my version of the story, expressed his acknowledg- 
ment for the preservation of the vessel ; and to prove 
his sincerity, he presented me with fifty guineas for 
myself, and ten for each of the men. The cargo was 
soon landed, and I was again at liberty. I found Cap- 
tain Levee in port ; he had just returned from another 
cruise, and had taken a rich prize. He met me with the 
same cordiality as before ; and having asked me for a 
recital of what had occurred at Senegal, of which he had 
heard something from the owner, as soon as I had fin- 
ished, he said : 

“ You are a lad after my own heart, and I wish we 
were sailing together. I want a first-lieutenant like you, 
and if you will go with me, say the word, and it will be 
hard but I will have you.” 

I replied that I was not very anxious to be in a priva- 
teer again ; and this brought on a discourse upon what 
occurred when I was in the Revenge with Captain 
Weatherall. 

“ Well,” he said at last, “ all this makes me more anx- 
ious to have you. I like fair fighting, and hate bucca- 
neering like yourself ; however, we will talk of it another 
time. I am about to start for London. What do you 
say, will you join me, and we will have some sport ? 
With plenty of money, you may do any thing in Lon- 
don.” 

“ Yes,” I replied, “but I have not plenty of money.” 

“ That shall make no difference ; money is of no use 
but to spend it, that I know of,” replied Captain Levee. 
“ I have plenty for both of us, and my purse is at your 
service ; help yourself as you please, without counting, 
for I shall be your enemy if you offer to return it. 
That’s settled ; the horses are all ready, and we will start 
on Wednesday. How will you dress ? I think it might 
be better to alter your costume, now you are going to 
London. You’ll make a pretty fellow, dress how you will.” 

“ Before I give you an answer to all your kind propo- 
sals, I must speak to the owner, Captain Levee.” 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 


59 


“ Of course you must ; shall we go there now ? ” 

“ Willingly,” I replied. And we accordingly set off. 

Captain Levee introduced the subject as soon as we 
arrived at the counting-house, stating that he wanted me 
to be first-lieutenant of the privateer, and that I was 
going to London with him, if he had no objection. 

“ As for going to London with you for five or six 
weeks, Captain Levee, there can be no objection to that,” 
replied the owner ; “ but as for being your first-lieutenant, 
that is another question. I have a vessel now fitting 
out, and intended to offer the command of it to Mr. El- 
rington. I do so now at once, and he must decide 
whether he prefers being under your orders to command- 
ing a vessel of his own.” 

“ I will decide that for him,” replied Captain Levee. 
“ He must command his own vessel ; it would be no 
friendship on my part to stand in the way of his advance- 
ment. I only hope, if she is a privateer, that we may 
cruise together.” 

“ I can not reply to that latter question,” replied the 
owner. “ Her destination is uncertain ; but the command 
of her is now offered to Mr. Elrington, if he will accept 
of it before his trip to the metropolis.” 

I replied that I should with pleasure, and returned the 
owner many thanks for his kindness : and, after a few 
minutes’ more conversation, we took our leave. 

“ Now I should advise you,” said Captain Levee, as we 
walked toward his lodgings, “ to dress as a captain of a 
vessel of war, much in the style that I do. You are a 
captain, and have a right so to do. Come with me, and 
let me fit you out.” 

I agreed with Captain Levee that I could not do better; 
so we went and ordered my suits of clothes, and pur- 
chased the other articles which I required. Captain 
Levee would have paid for them, but I had money suffi- 
cient, and would not permit him ; indeed with my pay 
and my present of fifty guineas I had upward of seventy 
guineas in my purse, and did not disburse more than 
fifty in my accouterments, although my pistols and 
hanger were very handsome. 

We did not start until three days after the time pro* 


6o 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 


posed, when I found at daylight two stout, well-bred horses 
at the door ; one for Captain Levee, and the other for 
me. We were attended by two servingmen belonging to 
the crew of the privateer commanded by Captain Levee 
— powerful, fierce-looking, and determined men, armed 
to the teeth, and mounted upon strong jades. One car- 
ried the valise of Captain Levee, which was heavy with 
gold. The other had charge of mine, which was much 
lighter, as you may suppose. We traveled for three 
days without any interruption, making about thirty miles 
a day, and stopping at the hostelries to sleep every 
night. On the fourth day we had a slight affair, for as 
we were mounting a hill toward the evening, we found 
our passage barred by five fellows with crape masks, 
who told us to stand and deliver. 

“ We will,” replied Captain Levee, firing his pistol, and 
reining up his horse at the same time. The ball struck 
the man, who fell back on the crupper, while the others 
rushed forward. My pistols were all ready, and I fired 
at the one who spurred his horse upon me, but the horse 
rearing up saved his master, the ball passing through the 
head of the animal, who fell dead, holding his rider a 
prisoner by the thigh, which was underneath his body. 
Our two men had come forward and ranged alongside of 
us at the first attack, but now that two had fallen, the 
others finding themselves in a minority, after exchanging 
shots, turned their horses’ heads and galloped away. We 
would have pursued them, but Captain Levee said it 
was better not, as there might be more of the gang near, 
and by pursuing them we might separate and be cut off in 
detail. 

“ What shall we do with these fellows ? ” asked our 
men of Captain Levee. 

“ Leave them to get off how they can,” replied Captain 
Levee. “ I will not be stopped on my journey by such 
a matter as this. I dare say they don’t deserve hanging 
more than half the people we meet. Let us push on and 
get into quarters for the night. After all, Mr. Elring- 
ton,” said Captain Levee to me, as we were setting off, 
“ it’s only a little land privateering, and we must not be 
too hard upon them.” 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 


61 


I confess, Madam, when I recalled all that I had 
witnessed on board of the Revenge, that I agreed with 
Captain Levee, that these highwaymen were not worse 
than ourselves. 

No other adventure occurred during our journey, and 
when we arrived in London we directed our horses’ steps 
to a fashionable tavern in St. Paul’s, and took possession 
of apartments, and as Captain Levee was well known, 
we were cordially greeted and well attended. The tavern 
was in great repute, and resorted to by all the wits and 
gay men of the day, and I soon found myself on intimate 
terms with a numerous set of dashing blades full of life 
and jollity, and spending their money like princes ; but 
it was a life of sad intemperance, and my head ached 
every morning from the excess of the night before, and 
in our excursions in the evenings we were continually in 
broils and disturbances, and many a broken head, nay, 
sometimes a severe wound, was given and received. 
After the first fortnight, I felt weary of this continual 
dissipation, and as I was dressing a sword-cut which 
Captain Levee had received in an affray, I one morning 
told him so. 

“ I agree with you,” he replied, “ that it is all very 
foolish and discreditable, but if we live with the gay and 
pretty fellows, we must do as they do. Besides, how 
could I get rid of my money, which burns in my pocket, 
if I did not spend as much in one day as would suffice 
for three weeks ? ” 

“Still I would rather dress a wound gained in an 
honorable contest with the enemy than one received in 
a night brawl, and I would rather see you commanding 
your men in action than reeling with other drunkards in 
search of a quarrel in the streets.” 

“ I feel that it is beneath me, and I’m sure that it’s 
beneath you. You are a Mentor without a beard,” replied 
Captain Levee. “ But still it requires no beard to dis- 
cover that I have made an ass of myself. Now, what do 
you say, shall we take lodgings and live more reputably, 
for while in this tavern we never shall be able to do so ? ” 

“ I should prefer it, to tell you the honest truth,” I 
replied, “ for I have no pleasure in our present life.” 


62 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 


“Be it so, then,” he replied. “ I will tell them that I 
take lodgings, that I may be near to a fair lady. That 
will be a good and sufficient excuse.” 

The next day we secured lodgings to our satisfaction, 
and removed into them, leaving our horses and men at 
the tavern. We boarded with the family, and as there 
were others who did the same, we had a very pleasant 
society, especially as there were many of the other sex 
among the boarders. The first day that we sat down to 
dinner, I found myself by the side of a young man of 
pleasing manners, although with much of the coxcomb 
in his apparel. His dress was very gay and very expen- 
sive, and he wore a diamond-hilted sword and diamond 
buckles — at least so they appeared to me, as I was not 
sufficient connoisseur to distinguish the brilliant from 
the paste. He was very affable and talkative, and before 
dinner was over gave me the history of many of the 
people present. 

“ Who is the dame in the blue stomacher ? ” I inquired. 

“You mean the prettiest of the two, I suppose,” he 
replied, “ that one with the patches under the eye ? She 
is a widow, having just buried an old man of sixty, to 
whom she was sacrificed by her mother. But although 
the old fellow was as rich as a Jew, he found such fault 
with the lady’s conduct that he left all his money away 
from her. This is not generally known, and she takes 
care to conceal it, for she is anxious to make another 
match, and she will succeed if her funds, which are not 
very great, enable her to carry on the game a little longer. 
I was nearly taken in myself, but an intimacy with her 
cousin, who hates her, gave me a knowledge of the truth. 
She still keeps her carriage, and appears to be rolling in 
wealth, but she has sold her diamonds and wears paste. 
And that plain young person on the other side of her has 
money, and knows the value of it. She requires rent-roll 
for rent-roll, and instead of referring you to her father 
and mother, the little minx refers you to her lawyer and 
man of business. Ugly as she is, I would have sacrificed 
myself, but she treated me in that way, and upon my 
soul I was not very sorry for it, for she is dear at any 
price, and I have since rejoiced at my want of success.” 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 63 

“ Who is that elderly gentleman with such snow-white 
hair?” I inquired. 

“ That,” replied my companion, “ nobody exactly 
knows, but I have my idea. I think,” said he, lowering 
his voice to a whisper, “ that he is a Catholic priest, or a 
Jesuit, perhaps, and a partisan of the house of Stuart. 
I have my reasons for supposing so, and this I am sure of, 
which is, that he is closely watched by the emissaries of 
government.” 

You may remember, Madam, how at that time the 
country was disturbed by the landing of the Pretender in 
the summer of the year before, and the great successes 
which he had met with, and that the Duke of Cumber- 
land had returned from the army in the Low Countries, 
and had marched to Scotland. 

“ Has there been any intelligence from Scotland 
relative to the movements of the armies ? ” I inquired. 

“ We have heard that the Pretender had abandoned 
the siege of Fort William, but nothing more ; and how 
far the report is true, it is hard to say. You military 
men must naturally have a war one way or the other,” 
said my companion, in a careless manner. 

“ As to the fighting part of the question,” I replied, 
“ I should feel it a matter of great indifference which side 
I fought for, as the claim of both parties is a matter of 
mere opinion.” 

“ Indeed,” he said ; “ and what may be your opin- 
ion?” 

“ I have none. I think the claims of both parties 
equal. The house of Stuart lost the throne of England 
on account of its religion — that of Hanover has been 
called to the throne for the same cause. The adherents 
of both are numerous at the present moment ; and it 
does not follow, because the house of Hanover has the 
strongest party, that the house of Stuart should not 
uphold its cause while there is a chance of success.” 

“ That is true ; but if you were to be obliged to take 
one side or the other, which would it be by preference ? ” 

“ Certainly I would support the Protestant religion in 
preference to the Catholic. I am a Protestant, and that 
is reason enough.” 


6 4 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 


“ I agree with you,” replied my companion. “ Is your 
brave friend of the same opinion ? ” 

“ I really never put the question to him, but I think I 
may safely answer that he is.” 

It was fortunate, Madam, that I replied as I did, for I 
afterward discovered that this precious gossiping young 
man, with his rings and ribbons, was no other than a 
government spy, on the look-out for malcontents. Cer- 
tainly his disguise was good, for I never should have 
imagined it from his foppish exterior and mincing man- 
ners. 

We passed our time much more to my satisfaction now 
than we did before, escorting the ladies to the theater 
and to Ranelagh, and the freedom with which Captain 
Levee (and I may say I also) spent his money, soon 
gave us a passport to good society. About a fortnight 
afterward, the news arrived of the battle of Culloden, 
and great rejoicings were made. My foppish friend 
remarked to me : — 

“ Yes, now that the hopes of the Pretender are 
blasted, and the Hanoverian succession secured, there 
are plenty who pretend to rejoice, and be excessively 
loyal, who, if the truth were known, ought to be quartered 
as traitors.” 

And I must observe, that the day before the news of 
the battle, the old gentleman with the snow-white hair 
was arrested and sent to the Tower, and he afterward 
suffered for high treason. 

But letters from the owner, saying that the presence of 
both of us was immediately required, broke off this 
pleasant London party. Indeed, the bag of gold was 
running very low, and this, combined with the owner’s 
letter, occasioned our breaking up three days afterward. 
We took leave of the company at the lodgings, and there 
was a tender parting with one or two buxom young 
women ; after which we again mounted our steeds and 
set off for Liverpool, where we arrived without any 
adventure worthy of narration. 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 


65 


CHAPTER IX. 


I am put in command of the Sparrow-Hawk — Am directed to take 
four Jacobite Gentlemen secretly on board— Run with them to Bor- 
deaux — Land them in safety — Dine with the Governor — Meet with 
the Widow of the French Gentleman I had unfortunately killed — 
Am insulted by her second Husband— Agree to fight with him — 
Sail down the River and prepare for Action. 


On our arrival, Captain Levee and I, as soon as we 
got rid of the dust of travel, called upon the owner, who 
informed us that all the alterations in Captain Levee’s 
vessel, which was a large lugger of fourteen guns and a 
hundred and twenty men, were complete, and that my 
vessel was also ready for me, and manned ; but that I 
had better go on board and see if any thing else was 
required, or if there was any alteration that I would 
propose. Captain Levee and I immediately went down 
to the wharf, alongside of which my vessel lay, that we 
might examine her now that she was fitted out as a vessel 
of war. 

She had been a schooner in the Spanish trade, and had 
been captured by Captain Levee, who had taken her out 
from under a battery as she lay at anchor, having just 
made her port from a voyage from South America, being 
at that time laden with copper and cochineal, — a most 
valuable prize she had proved, — and as she was found to 
be a surprisingly fast sailer, the owner had resolved to fit 
her out as a privateer. 

She was not a large vessel, being of about a hundred and 
sixty tons, but she was very beautifully built. She was 
now armed with eight brass guns, of a caliber of six 
pounds each, four howitzers aft, and two cohorns on the 
taffrail. 

“ You have a very sweet little craft here, Elrington,” 
said Captain Levee, after he had walked all over her, 
and examined her below and aloft. “ She will sail better 
than before, I should think, for she then had a very full 
cargo, and now her top hamper is a mere nothing. Did 
the owner say how many men you had ? ” 


66 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 


“ Fifty-four is, I believe, to be our full complement,” 
I replied, “ and I should think quite enough.” 

“ Yes, if they are good men and true. You may do a 
great deal with this vessel, for you see she draws so little 
water, that you may run in where I dare not venture. 
Come, we will now return to our lodgings, pack up, and 
each go on board of our vessels. We have had play 
enough, now to work again, and in good earnest.” 

“ I was about to propose it myself,” I replied, “ for 
with a new vessel, officers and men not known to me, 
the sooner I am on board and with them the better. It 
will take some time to get every thing and every body in 
their places.” 

“ Spoken like a man who understands his business,” 
replied Captain Levee. “ I wonder whether we shall be 
sent out together ? ” 

“ I can only say that I hope so,” I replied, “ as I 
should profit much by your experience, and hope to 
prove to you that, if necessary, I shall not be a bad 
second.” 

And as I made this reply, we arrived at the house 
where we had lodged. 

Captain Levee was a man who, when once he had 
decided, was as rapid as lightning in execution. He 
sent for a dealer in horses, concluded a bargain with him 
in five minutes, paid his lodgings and all demands upon 
him, and before noon we were both on board of our 
respective vessels. But, previous to the seamen coming 
up for our boxes, I observed to him, “ I should wish, 
Levee, that you would let me know, if it is only at a 
rough guess, what sum I may be indebted to you ; as I 
may be fortunate, and if so, it will be but fair to repay 
you the money, although your kindness I can not so easily 
return.” 

“ I’ll tell you exactly,” said Levee. “ If I take no 
prize this cruise, and you do make money, why then we 
will, on our return, have another frolic somewhere, and 
you shall stand treat. That will make us all square, if I 
am not fortunate ; but if I am, I consider your pleasant 
company to have more than repaid me for any little 
expense I may have incurred.” 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 


67 


“You are very kind to say that,” I replied ; “but I 
hope you will be fortunate, and not have to depend upon 
me.” 

“ I hope so too,” he replied, laughing. “ If we come 
back safe and sound, we will take a trip to Bath — I am 
anxious to see the place.” 

I mention this conversation, Madam, that I may make 
you acquainted with the character of Captain Levee, and 
prove to you how worthy a man I had as a companion. 

It required about ten days to complete my little 
schooner with every thing that I considered requisite, 
and the politeness of the owner was extremely gratify- 
ing. We were, however, but just complete, when the 
owner sent for me in a great hurry, and having taken me 
into a back room next to the counting-house, he locked 
the door, and said — 

“Captain Elrington, I have been offered a large sum 
to do a service to some unfortunate people ; but it is an 
affair which, for our own sakes, will demand the utmost 
secrecy ; indeed, you will risk more than I shall ; but at 
the same time I trust you will not refuse to perform the 
service, as I shall lose a considerable advantage. If you 
will undertake it, I shall not be ungrateful.” 

I replied that I was bound to him by many acts of 
kindness, and that he might confide in my gratitude. 

“ Well, then,” he replied, lowering his voice, “ the fact 
is this : four of the Jacobite party, who are hotly 
pursued, and for whose heads a large reward is offered, 
have contrived to escape to this port, and are here con- 
cealed by their friends, who have applied to me to land 
them at some port in France.” 

“ I understand,” I replied ; “ I will cheerfully execute 
the commission.” 

“ I thank you, Captain Elrington ; I expected no other 
answer from you. I would not put them on board Cap- 
tain Levee’s vessel for many reasons ; but, at the same 
time, he knows that he is to sail to-morrow, and he shall 
wait for you and keep company with you till you have 
landed them ; after which you may concert your own 
measures with him, and decide whether you cruise 
together or separate.” 


68 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 


“ Captain Levee will of course know that I have them 
on board ? ” 

“ Certainly ; but it is to conceal these people from 
others in his ship, and not from him, that they are put on 
board of your vessel. At the same time, I confess I have 
my private reasons as well, which I do not wish to make 
known. You can sail to-morrow ? ” 

“I can sail to-night, if you wish,” I replied. 

“ No ; to-morrow night will be the time that I have 
fixed.” 

“ At what time will they come on board ? ” 

“ I can not reply to that till to-morrow. The fact is, 
that the government people are on a hot scent ; and 
there is a vessel of war in the offing, I am told, ready to 
board any thing and every thing which comes out. Cap- 
tain Levee will sail to-morrow morning, and will in all 
probability be examined by the government vessel, which 
is, I understand, a most rapid sailer.” 

“ Will he submit to it ? ” 

“Yes, he must ; and I have given him positive orders 
not to make the least attempt to evade her or prevent a 
search. He will then run to Holyhead, and lay-to there 
for you to join him, and you will proceed together to the 
port which the people taken on board shall direct, for 
that is a part of the agreement they have made with 
me. 

“ Then of course I am to evade the king’s vessel ? ” 

“ Certainly ; and I have no doubt but that you will be 
able so to do. Your vessel is so fleet, that there will be 
little difficulty : at all events, you will do your best : but 
recollect, that although you must make every attempt to 
escape, you must not make any attempt at resistance — 
indeed, that would be useless against a vessel of such 
force. Should you be in a position which might enable 
them to board you, you must find some safe hiding-place 
for your passengers ; for I hardly need say, that if taken 
with them on board, the vessel will be confiscated, and 
you will run some danger of your life. I have nothing 
j more to say to you just now, except that you may give 
out that Captain Levee sails to-morrow, and that you are 
Jo follow him in ten days. Your powder is on board ? ” 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 69 

“ Yes ; I got it on board as soon as we hauled out in 
the stream.” 

“ Well, then, you will call here to-morrow morning 
about eleven o’clock, not before, and (I hardly need 
repeat it), but I again say — secrecy, — as you value your 
life.” 

As soon as I had left the owner, I went down to the 
wharf, stepped into the boat, and went on board Captain 
Levee’s vessel, which, I have omitted to state, was 
named the Arrow. I found him on board, and very busy 
getting ready for sea. 

“ So you are off to-morrow, Levee?” said I, before all 
the people on the deck. 

“ Yes,” he replied. 

“ I wish I was, too ; but I am to remain ten days longer, 
I find.” 

“ I was in hopes we should have cruised together,” 
replied Captain Levee ; “ but we must do as our owner 
wishes. What detains you ? — I thought you were ready.” 

“I thought so too,” I replied ; “but we find that the 
head of the mainmast is sprung, and we must have a new 
one. I have just come from the owner’s, and must set 
to work at once, and get ready for shifting our mast. 
So, fare you well, if I do not see you before you sail.” 

“ I am to see the owner to-night,” replied Levee. 
“ Shall we not meet then, and take a parting glass ? ” 

“ I fear not, but I will come if I can,” I replied ; “ if 
not, success to the Arrow ! ” 

“ And success to the Sparrow-Hawk ! ” replied Levee, 
" and God bless you, my good fellow.” 

I shook hands with my kind friend, and went over the 
side of the lugger into my boat, and then pulled for my 
own vessel. As soon as I got on board, I sent for officers 
and men, and said to them — 

“ We are to shift our mainmast for one that is three 
feet longer, and must work hard, that we may be able to 
sail as soon as possible. I can not allow any of you to go 
on shore till the work is finished ; when it is done, you 
will have leave as before till we sail.” 

That afternoon I sent down the topsail-yard and top- 
mast, uub_ent. the mainsail, main-topsail, .and j£aff— sent 


70 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 


down the topmast and running-rigging on deck — cast 
loose the lanyards of the lower rigging, and quite dis- 
mantled the mainmast, so as to make it appear as if we 
were about to haul to the wharf and take it out. The 
men all remained on board, expecting that we should 
shift our berth the next day. 

On the following morning I laid out a warp to the 
wharf, as if intending to haul in ; and at the time 
appointed, I went on shore to the owner, and told him 
what I had done. 

“ But,” he said, “ I find that you will have to sail this 
night as soon as it is dark. How will you get ready ? ” 

I replied that at nightfall I would immediately replace 
every thing, and in an hour would be ready for sea. 

“ If such be the case, you have done well, Mr. Elring- 
ton, and I thank you for your zeal on my behalf, which I 
shall not forget. Every thing has been arranged, and 
you must come up here with some of your seamen as 
soon as you are ready to sail. Your men, or rather four 
of them, must remain in the house. The four gentlemen 
who are to be embarked will be dressed in seamen’s 
attire, and will carry down their boxes and trunks as if 
they were your men taking your things on board. You 
will then remain a little distance from the wharf in the 
boat till your own men come down, and if there is no 
discovery you will take them on board with you ; if, on 
the contrary, there is any suspicion, and the officers of 
the government are on the watch, and stop your men, 
you will then push off with the passengers, slip your 
cable if it is necessary, and make all sail for Holyhead, 
where you will fall in with the Arrow, which will be 
waiting there for you. Is the Arrow still in sight ? ” 

“ No, ” I replied ; “ she was out of sight more than an 
hour ago, and from our masthead we could see the top- 
gallant sails of the vessel of war bearing N.N.W.” 

“ Keep a look-out upon her, and see how she bears at 
dark,” replied the owner, “ for you must not fall in with 
her if possible. I think you had better return on board 
now, that you may keep your people quiet.” 

When I arrived on board the schooner, I told my offi- 
cers that I did not think we should shift the mast as pro* 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN, 


71 


posed, and that every thing must be got ready for refitting. 
I did not choose to say more, but added that I was to go 
on shore in the evening to smoke a pipe with the owner, 
and then I should know for certain. I employed the 
men during the whole of the day in doing every thing in 
preparation which could be done without exciting sus- 
picion ; and as soon as it was dark I called the men aft, 
and told them that I thought it was very likely, from the 
Arrow not having made her appearance, that we might 
be sent to join her immediately, and that I wished them 
to rig the mainmast, and make every thing ready for an 
immediate start, promising to serve out some liquor if 
they worked well. This was sufficient, and in little more 
than an hour the mast was secured, the rigging all 
complete, and the sails ready for bending. I then 
ordered the boat to be manned, and telling the officers 
that they were to bend the sails, and have every thing 
ready for weighing on my return on board, which would 
be in an hour, or thereabouts, I pulled on shore, and 
went up to the owner’s, taking four men with me, and 
leaving three men in the boat. I ordered these three 
men to remain till the others came down with my trunks 
and effects, and not to leave the boat on any considera- 
tion. 

When I arrived at the owner’s, I told him what I had 
done? and he commended my arrangements. In the back 
room I found four gentlemen dressed in seamen’s cloth- 
ing, and as there was no time to be lost, they immediately 
shouldered the trunks and valises ; desiring my own men 
to remain with the owner to bring down any thing he 
might wish to send on board, I left them in the counting- 
house. The gentlemen followed me with their loads 
down to the boat, and when I got there the men told me 
that some people had come down and asked whose boat 
it was, and why they were lying there, and that they had 
told the people that the captain had taken four men with 
him to bring down his things, and that they were waiting 
for him ; so it was lucky that I said to my men what I 
did. 

We hastened to put the trunks into the boat, and to 
get in ourselves after we had received this intelligence, 


72 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 


and then I shoved off from the wharf, and laid about a 
stone’s throw distant for my other men. At last we heard 
them coming down, and shortly afterward, we perceived 
that they were stopped by other people, and in altercation 
with them. I knew then that the officers were on the 
alert, and would discover the stratagem, and therefore 
desired my men and the gentlemen, who had each taken 
an oar in readiness, to give way and pull for the schooner. 
As we did so the king’s officers on search who had stopped 
my four men came down to the wharf and ordered us 
to come back, but we made no reply. As soon as we 
were alongside, we hoisted the things out of the boat, 
veered her astern by a tow-rope, slipped the cable, and 
made sail. Fortunately it was very dark, and we were 
very alert in our movements. We could perceive lights 
at the wharf as we sailed out of the river, and it was clear 
that we had had a narrow escape ; but I felt no alarm on 
account of the owner, as I knew that although they 
might suspect, they could prove nothing. When about 
three miles out we hove to, hoisted in the boat, and 
shaped our course. 

All I had now to fear was the falling in with the ship 
of war in the offing, and I placed men to keep a sharp 
look-out in every direction, and told the officers that it 
was necessary that we should avoid her. When last seen, 
about an hour before dark, she was well to windward, 
and as the wind was from the northward, she would prob- 
ably sail faster than we could, as a schooner does not 
sail so well free as on a wind. We had run out about 
four hours, and were steering our course for Holyhead, 
when suddenly we perceived the ship of war close to us, 
and to leeward. She had been lying with her mainsail 
to the mast, but evidently made us out, for she filled and 
set top-gallant sails. 

I immediately hauled my wind, and as soon as she had 
way, she tacked and followed in pursuit, being then right 
astern of us, about half a mile off. It was very dark, 
and I knew that as our sails were set, and we bore from 
her, it would be difficult for her to keep us in sight, as 
we only presented what we call the feather-edge of our 
sails to her. I therefore steered on under all sail, and, 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 


73 


finding that the schooner weathered on her, I kept her 
away a little, so as to retain the same bearings, and to 
leave her faster. 

In an hour we could not make out the ship, and were 
therefore certain that she could not see us ; so as I 
wanted to get clear of her, and be at Holyhead as soon 
as possible, I lowered down all the sails and put my helm 
up, so as to cross her and run to leeward under bare 
poles, while she continued her windward chase. This 
stratagem answered, and we saw no more of her ; for, 
two hours afterward, we fell in with the Arrow, and, 
hailing her, we both made sail down the Bristol Channel 
as fast as we could, and at daybreak there was no vessel 
in sight, and of course we had nothing more to fear 
from the Liverpool cruiser. 

As we now sailed rapidly along in company, with the 
wind on our quarter, it was high time for me to look to 
my passengers, who had remained on deck in perfect 
silence from the time that they had come on board. I 
therefore went up to them, and apologized for not having 
as yet paid them that attention that I should have 
wished to have done under other circumstances. 

“ Captain,” replied the oldest of them, with a courte- 
ous salute, “ you have paid us every attention , you have 
been extremely active in saving our lives, and we return 
you our sincere thanks.” 

“ Yes, indeed,” replied a young and handsome man who 
stood next him, “ Mr. Elrington has saved us from the 
toils of our enemies ; but now that we are in no fear from 
that quarter, I must tell him that we have hardly had a 
mouthful of food for twenty-four hours, and if he wishes 
to save our lives a second time, it will be by ordering a 
good breakfast to be prepared for us.” 

“ Campbell speaks the truth, my dear sir,” said the one 
who had first spoken. “ We have lately gained the 
knowledge of what it is to hunger and thirst ; and we 
will join in his request.” 

“ You shall not wait long,” I replied ; “ I will be up 
again in a moment or two.” I went down into the cabin, 
and, ordering my servant to put on the table a large piece 
of pressed Hamburg beef, a cold pie of various flesh and 


74 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 


fowl combined, some bread and cheese, and some bot- 
tles of brandy and usquebaugh, I then went up again, 
and requested them all to descend. Hungry they 
certainly were, and it was incredible the quantity that 
they devoured. I should have imagined that they 
had not been fed for a week and I thought that if 
they were to consume at that rate, my stock would never 
last out, and the sooner they were landed the better. As 
soon as they left off eating, and had finished two bottles 
of usquebaugh, I said to them, “ Gentlemen, my orders 
are to land you at any port of France that you should 
prefer. Have you made up your minds as to which it 
shall be, for it will be necessary that we shape a course 
according to your decision ? ” 

“ Mr. Elrington, on that point we would wish to advise 
with you. I hardly need say that our object is to escape, 
and that falling in with and being captured by a ship of 
war, and there are many out in pursuit of us and other 
unfortunate adherents to the house of Stuart, would be 
extremely disagreeable, as our heads and our bodies 
would certainly part company, if we were taken. Now, 
which port do you think we should be most likely to reach 
with least chance of interruption ? ” 

“ I think,” I replied, “ as you pay me the compliment 
to ask my opinion, that it would be better to run down 
the Bay of Biscay, and then put in at the port of Bordeaux, 
or any other, where you could be landed in safety ; and 
my reason is this : the Channel is full of cruisers looking 
after those of your party who are attempting to escape ; 
and my vessel will be chased and searched. Now, 
although we might sail faster than any other vessel in 
the Channel, yet it is very possible that in running away 
from one, we may fall into the jaws of another. And 
besides, we are two privateers, and cruising off Bordeaux 
will excite no suspicion, as it is a favorite cruising-ground ; 
so that, if we were boarded, there would be little danger 
of discovery ; but of course, as long as I could prevent 
that by taking to my heels, I shall not be boarded by 
any one. The only objection to what I propose is, that 
you will be confined longer in a vessel than you may like 
or than you would be if you were to gain a nearer port.” 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 


75 


“ I agree with the captain of the vessel,” said a grave- 
looking personage, who had not yet spoken, and whom 
I afterward discovered to be a Catholic priest, “ the 
stanchest adherent to the cause could not have given 
better advice, and I should recommend that it be 
followed.” 

The others were of the same opinion ; and, in conse- 
quence, I edged the schooner down to the Arrow, and 
hailed Captain Levee, stating that we were to run to 
Bordeaux. After that I prepared for them sleeping 
accommodations as well as I could, and on my making 
apologies, they laughed, and told me such stories of 
their hardships during their escape, that I was not sur- 
prised at their not being difficult. I found out their 
names by their addressing one another, to be Campbell, 
MTntyre, Ferguson, and McDonald ; all of them very 
refined gentlemen, and of excellent discourse. They 
were very merry, and laughed at all that they had suf- 
fered ; sang Jacobite songs, as they were termed, and 
certainly did not spare my locker of wine. The wind 
continued fair, and we met with no interruption, and on 
the fourth evening, at dusk, we made the mouth of the 
Garonne, and hove to, with our heads off shore, for the 
night. Captain Levee then came on board, and I intro- 
duced him to my passengers. To my surprise, after 
some conversation, he said — 

“ I have now escorted Captain Elrington, according to 
the orders I received, and shall return to Liverpool as 
soon as possible ; if, therefore, gentlemen, you have any 
letters to send to your friends announcing your safety, I 
shall be most happy to present them in any way you may 
suggest as most advisable.” 

That Captain Levee had some object in saying this, I 
was quite certain ; and therefore I made no remark. 
The passengers thanked him for his proposal ; and, 
being provided with writing materials, they all wrote to 
their friends, and put their letters into Captain Levee’s 
hands, who then bade them farewell, and went on deck 
with me. 

“ Of course, you were not serious in what you said, 
Captain Levee ? ” I inquired, as we walked forward. 


76 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 


“ No,” he replied ; “ but I considered it prudent to 
make them believe so. Although Englishmen, they are 
enemies to our country, so far as they are enemies to our 
government, and, of course, wish no harm to the French, 
who have so warmly supported them. Now, if they 
knew that I remained here waiting for your coming out 
of the river, they would say so, and I might lose the 
chance of a good prize, as nothing would sail, if they 
knew that the coast was not clear. Now, I shall part 
company with you in an hour, and make all sail for 
England, as they may suppose, but, without fail, to- 
morrow night I shall be off here again, about five leagues 
from the port, with my sails furled ; therefore, stay in 
the river as long as they will let you, as, while you are 
in port with the flag of truce, vessels may sail out.” 

“ I understand you, and will do all I can to assist 
your views, Captain Levee. Now, we will go down 
again. I will give you a receipt for a coil of rope, which 
you will send your boat for, and write a letter to the 
owners, after which you will wish me good-by, and 
make sail.” 

“ Exactly,” Captain Levee replied, who then ordered 
his boat to go for a coil of three-inch, and bring it on 
board. 

We then descended to the cabin, and I wrote a letter 
to the owner, and also a receipt for the coil of rope, 
which I delivered to Captain Levee. The boat soon 
returned from the lugger, the rope was taken on board, 
and then Captain Levee wished me farewell, and made 
his polite adieus to the gentlemen, who followed him on 
deck, and waited there till he had hoisted in his boat, 
and made all sail. 

“ How long will she be before she arrives at Liver- 
pool with this wind ? ” inquired Mr. Campbell. 

“ She will carry her canvas night and day,” I replied ; 
“ and, therefore, as she sails so fast, I should say in five 
or six days.” 

“ Well, I am grateful that we have such an early and 
safe opportunity of communicating with our friends in 
England ; we might have waited two months otherwise.” 

“ Very true,” replied the priest, “ but Heaven has 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 


77 


assisted our anxious wishes. Let us be grateful for all 
things.” 

My passengers watched the lugger until she was 
nearly out of sight. I dare say that their thoughts were, 
that those on board of her were going to the country of 
their birth, from which they were exiles, probably for- 
ever : they did not speak, but went down below, and 
retired to their beds. At daylight the next morning I 
ran the schooner in ; and as soon as I was within three 
miles of the coast, I hoisted the white flag of truce, and 
stood for the mouth of the river Garonne. I perceived 
that the batteries were manned, but not a shot was fired, 
and we entered the river. 

When we were a mile up the river, we were boarded 
by the French authorities, and my passengers, who had 
dressed themselves in their proper costume, informed 
the officer in the boat who they were, upon which he 
was very polite, and, calling a pilot out of the boat, the 
schooner was taken charge of by him, and we very soon 
afterward having wind and tide in our favor, were 
anchored alongside of two large merchant vessels and a 
French privateer of sixteen guns, which I instantly 
recognized as our old antagonist off Hispaniola, in the 
action in which the Revenge was captured, and Captain 
Weatherall lost his life. However, I kept my knowledge 
to myself, as the French officer and the Jacobite gentle- 
men were present. As soon as we had anchored, the 
passengers were requested to go into the boat, 
and the French officer and I to accompany them, 
that I might report myself to the governor, and we 
pulled away to the town, one of my boats following with 
the passengers’ luggage. 

On our landing, there was a great crowd assembled, 
and they looked very hard at me, as I was dressed in my 
lace coat and a cocked-up hat, also bound with broad 
gold lace. On our arrival in the presence of the governor, 
we were received with much urbanity ; and as I had 
brought the Jacobite gentlemen in my schooner, it was 
presumed that I was favorable to the cause, and I was 
very politely treated. The governor invited us all to 
dine with him on that day. I made some excuse, saying 


78 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 


that I was anxious to return to Liverpool, that I might 
fit out for the coast of Africa, in which service I was to 
be employed by my owners ; but the passengers insisted 
upon my staying a day or two, and the governor added 
to their solicitations his own. 

I therefore accepted, not only because I was glad to 
have an opportunity to see so celebrated a town, but 
because it would meet the views of Captain Levee. We 
took leave of the governor, and went to an hotel, and I 
then sent my boat on board for necessaries, and hired a 
handsome apartment in the hotel. I had not been there 
half an hour, when the priest came to me and said, 
11 Captain, you are not aware of the rank and consequence 
of the three gentlemen whom you have been so success- 
ful in escorting to a place of safety. I am requested by 
them to make you a handsome remuneration for your 
kindness and skillful conduct on this occasion.” 

“ Sir,” I replied, “ this must not be. I am most happy 
in having assisted in the escape of unfortunate gentle- 
men ; and all the pleasure I feel at having so done would 
be destroyed if I were to accept of what you offer. It is 
useless to repeat it ; and if you do, I shall consider it an 
insult, and immediately repair on board of my vessel. 
You will therefore tender my best thanks and my refusal, 
with ardent wishes for their future welfare.” 

“ After what you have said, Captain Elrington, I will, 
of course, not resume the offer. I will tell my fellow- 
passengers what you have said, and I am sure that they 
will, as I do, admire your high sense of honor.” — The 
priest shook me by the hand, and then quitted my apart- 
ment. I did not see the other passengers till it was the 
hour to go to dine at the governor’s, when they embraced 
me cordially, and the one calling himself Campbell said, 
“ Should you ever be in distress or a prisoner in this 
country, recollect you have a friend who is ready to 
serve you. Here is an address to a lady, to whom you 
must write, and say that you wish the assistance of your 
passenger to Bordeaux — that will be sufficient — I trust 
you may never require it.” 

We had a pleasant dinner at the governor’s, and among 
the people invited to meet us, I perceived the French 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 


79 


captain of the privateer. I knew him immediately, 
although he did not recognize me. We had some con- 
versation together, and he spoke about his cruises in the 
West Indies, and asked me whether I knew Captain 
Weatherall. I said there was a Captain Weatherall who 
commanded the Revenge privateer, and who was killed 
when his vessel was taken. 

“ Exactly,” said the captain ; “ he was a brave man, 
and fought nobly, and so did all his people — they fought 
like devils.” 

“ Yes,” I replied, “they fought as long as they could, 
but Captain Weatherall was very short-handed. He had 
but fifty-five men on board at the commencement of the 
action.” 

“ More than that, I’m sure,” replied the French 
captain. 

“ He had not, I assure you,” I replied ; “ he had lost 
so many in an attack on shore, and had so many away 
in prizes.” 

Our conversation had attracted general notice, and a 
French army officer observed, “ Monsieur speaks so pos- 
itively, that one would imagine that he was actually on 
board.” 

“ And so I was, sir,” replied I, “ and have my wounds 
to show for it. I knew this officer immediately I saw 
him, for I was close to Captain Weatherall at the time 
that this officer expostulated with him before the action ; 
and I crossed my sword with him during the combat.” 

“ You have convinced me that you were on board,” 
replied the captain of the privateer, “ by your mention- 
ing the expostulations previous to the combat taking 
place. I am delighted to have met with so brave an 
enemy, for every man on board that vessel was a hero.” 

The conversation was then general, and many partic- 
ulars were asked ; and I will do the French captain the 
justice to say, that he was very correct in all his state- 
ments, and neither vaunted his own success, nor did us 
less than justice. 

The party then broke up to go to the theater, and 
afterward we repaired to the hotel. I remained there 
two days more, and on the last of these two days I had 


8o 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 


promised to sup with the French captain of the priva- 
teer, who had called upon me, and behaved very politely. 
The following day, after noon, when the tide served, I 
was to sail. Accordingly, after the theater was over, I 
went with the French captain to his house, in company 
with two or three more. Supper was on the table when 
we arrived there, and we went into the room, waiting for 
the presence of the captain’s lady, who had not gone to 
the theater, and to whom I had not been introduced. 
After a few minutes she made her appearance, and as 
she entered the room, I was struck with her extreme 
beauty, although she was past the meridian of life. I 
thought I had seen her face before, and as she came 
forward with her husband, it at once rushed into my 
mind that she was the widow of the French gentleman 
who had so gallantly fought his vessel, and who fell by 
my hand — the lady who was nursing her son at the 
King’s Hospital at Jamaica, and who had been so invet- 
erate against me. Our eyes met, and her cheeks flushed ; 
she recognized me, and I colored deeply as I bowed to 
her. She was taken with a faintness, and fell back. 
Fortunately her husband received her in his arms. 

“ What is the matter, my love ? ” he said. 

“ Nothing ; but I am taken with a vertigo,” replied 
she ; “ it will go off directly. Make my excuses to the 
company, while I retire for a few minutes.” 

Her husband went out of the room, and after a min- 
ute or two came back, saying that Madam was not well 
enough to return to the room, and begged that they 
would admit her excuse, and sit down to supper without 
her. Whether his wife had informed him of who I was, 
I know not ; but nothing could exceed the civility of the 
French captain toward me during the supper. We did 
not, however, remain very late, as the lady of the house 
was indisposed. 

I found out, as I walked home with another French 
officer, that the captain of the privateer had fallen in 
with the French lady on her return from Jamaica, where 
her son died in the Hospital, and had married her ; and 
that, moreover, unlike most French husbands, he was 
most ardently attached to her. 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 


8l 


I had breakfast the next morning, and packed up my 
clothes preparatory to going on board, and had just 
returned from a visit of leave-taking with the governor, 
when who should walk up into my apartment but the 
French captain of the privateer, accompanied by three 
or four French officers of the army. I perceived by 
his looks when he entered that he was a little excited, 
but I met him cordially. He began a conversation 
about his action with Captain Weatherall, and instead 
of speaking handsomely as he had done before, he used 
expressions which I considered offensive, and I at 
once took him up by observing that, being under a flag 
of truce, it was impossible for me to notice what he 
said. 

“ No,” he replied ; “but I wish we were once more on 
the high seas together, for I have a little debt of gratitude 
to pay off.” 

“ Well,” I replied, “ you may have ; and I should 
not be sorry to give you an opportunity, if it were pos- 
sible.” 

“ May I inquire whether you intend to go home as a 
cartel, and carry your flag of truce to Liverpool ? ” 

“ No, sir,” I replied ; “ I shall haul down my flag of 
truce as soon as I am out of gunshot of your batteries. I 
understand what you mean, sir. It is very true that 
your vessel carries nearly double the number of guns 
that mine does, but nevertheless I shall haul down my 
flag of truce, as I say I will.” 

“ Not if I follow you down the river, I presume ? ” he 
said with a sort of sneer. 

“ Follow me if you dare,” I cried ; “ you will meet 
with your master, depend upon it.” 

“ Sacre ! ” replied he, in a passion, “ I will blow you 
out of the water ; and if I take you I will hang you for 
a pirate.” 

“ Not the last, certainly,” I said coolly. 

“ Look you, sir,” he cried, shutting his fist upon the 
palm of his other hand, “ if I take you I will hang you ; 
and if you take me, you may serve me in the same way. 
Is it a bargain, or are you a coward ? ” 

“ Gentlemen,” I said to the officers present, “ you 


82 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN, 


must feel that your countryman is not behaving well. 
He has insulted me grossly. I will, however, consent to 
his terms on one condition, which is, that he will permit 
one of you, after he has sailed, to make known the 
conditions upon which we fight to his wife ; and that one 
of you will pledge me his honor that he will impart these 
conditions as soon as we are gone.” 

“ Agree to do so — pledge yourself to do so, Xavier,” 
cried the French captain to one of the officers present. 

“ Since you wish it, certainly,” he said. 

“ You pledge yourself to make the conditions known 
to madam, as soon as we have sailed ? ” 

“ Ido, upon the honor of an officer and a gentleman,” 
replied he, painful as it will be to me.” 

“ Then, captain,” I replied, “ I agree to your conditions, 
and one or the other of us shall hang.” 

You may suppose, Madam, that I must have been in 
a state of great irritation to have consented to such 
terms. I was so, and could not brook such insult in 
the presence of the French officers. Moreover, as you 
will observe, in my conversation I did not commit my- 
self in any way. There was nothing dishonorable. I 
told him that I should haul down my flag of truce, and 
I also told him that he would meet with his master, 
which was true enough, as he would meet with the Arrow, 
commanded by Captain Levee, as well as with my vessel ; 
while he thought that he would have to fight with my 
inferior vessel alone, and, making sure of conquest, he 
purposely insulted me, to make me accept such condi- 
tions as would administer to the revenge of his wife, who 
had evidently worked him up to act in such a manner ; 
and I accepted them, because I hoped the fate would be 
his if Captain Levee joined me, and if not, I was deter- 
mined that I never would be taken alive. 

After I had agreed to his conditions, they all took a 
very ceremonious leave, and I bowed them out with great 
mock humility. I then bade farewell to my passengers, 
who lodged in the same hotel, and went down to my 
boat, and pulled on board. As soon as the tide served, 
the pilot came on board, and we got under weigh. I 
observed a great bustle, and a hurrying to and fro of 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 


83 


boats on board of the French privateer, and we had not 
gone above two miles down the river, before I perceived 
the men were aloft and lowering her sails. I told my 
officers that I had received a challenge from the French 
privateer, and had accepted it, and that we must get 
every thing ready for action. They were much astonished 
at this, as the disparity of force was so great, but they 
went cheerfully to their duty, as did the men, among 
whom the news was soon spread. 


CHAPTER X. 


Captain Levee and I engage with the French Privateer — We come of! 
victorious — My revenge against the French Lady — We take our 
prize to Liverpool. 


The wind was light, and we did not gain the mouth of 
the river till near sun-down, when the pilot left us ; and 
as soon as we were three miles in the offing, I hauled 
down the flag of truce in the sight of the French priva- 
teer, who was following us close, and was not more than 
four miles from us. To avoid mistake, I had agreed 
with Captain Levee that should I be coming out after 
dark, I would carry a light at the peak, and this light I 
now hoisted. It enabled the French privateer to follow 
me, and appeared only as a mark of contempt toward 
him. I stood on in the direction where I was to find 
Captain Levee, and could make out the Frenchman 
following me, and gradually nearing me. As it became 
dark, I made more sail to keep him further off till I had 
joined the Arrow, but the light at my peak pointed out 
to him where I was. All this seemed a mystery to my 
officers and men, until, having run out about four 
leagues, I desired them to keep a sharp look-out for the 
Arrow. 

About half past eight o’clock we perceived her lying 
to ; she had furled her sails after dark, as usual. The 
light I bore told her who I was, and I ran close to her, 


8 4 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 


and, hailing Captain Levee, desired him to prepare for 
action, and that I would come on board to speak to him. 
This, of course, created a great bustle on board of the 
Arrow, and I hastened on board that they might not 
show any lights. I then informed Captain Levee of all 
that had passed, and that the Frenchman was not more 
than five miles from us. We agreed that I should still 
keep up the light, and bear away a little to draw the 
Frenchman to leeward of the port, and also to leeward of 
the Arrow ; — that the Arrow should lower her sails again, 
so as not to be perceived until I had drawn the French- 
man past him, and that then I should commence the 
action under sail, and fight till the Arrow came up to my 
assistance. This being arranged, I hastened on board of 
my schooner, and, keeping away four points, I waited for 
the coming up of my antagonist. In half an hour we 
could perceive him through the gloom, not more than a 
mile from us, under all sail, standing steadily for the 
light which we carried at our peak. 

As I had already discovered that my little schooner 
sailed faster than my opponent, I allowed her to come up 
within a quarter of a mile of me, when I rounded to ; 
and, desiring my men to aim at his rigging, so as to dis- 
mantle him, poured in my broadside of grape and lang- 
ridge, and then shifted my helm and resumed my course, 
putting more sail on, so as to increase my distance to 
what it was before. This maneuver I executed three 
times with success, and I had the satisfaction of perceiv- 
ing that his foretop-mast was shot away, but when I 
rounded-to the fourth time, he did the same, and we 
exchanged broadsides. The effect of his superior artil- 
lery was evident, for my rigging and sails were much 
damaged ; happily nothing so serious as to impede our 
speed, and I again put out before the breeze as before, 
and increased my distance previous to again rounding-to ; 
for, as the water was very smooth, I knew that if I was 
crippled she would lay me by the board immediately, 
and I might be taken and hanged before the Arrow could 
come up to my assistance. I therefore continued a 
running fight at such a distance as rendered me less 
liable to suffer from his guns. 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 


85 


It is true that this distance made my guns even more 
ineffective, but I was decoying my Frenchman off from 
the land, and placing the Arrow between him and his 
port, so that his return wohld be intercepted. This con- 
tinued for about an hour, when I perceived that the 
Frenchman had got up a new foretop-mast, and had set 
the sail upon it. He now ran out his bow chasers, and 
continued to fire upon me with them alone, not choosing 
to lose ground by rounding-to, to give me a broadside ; 
and as his canvas was all out, and I was occasionally 
rounding-to to dismantle him, we retained much the 
same distance from one another. At last a shot from his 
bow-chaser struck off the head of my mainmast, and my 
gaff came down. 

This was serious. We hastened to reef the mainsail 
and hoist it up again upon the remainder of the mast, but 
having no gaff-topsail our speed was necessarily 
decreased, and the enemy appeared to be gradually clos- 
ing with us. I looked out for the Arrow, but could per- 
ceive no signs of her ; indeed it was too dark to see 
further than half a mile. Finding that on the point of 
sailing we were on I had no chance, I determined to 
alter my course, and put my schooner right before the 
wind so that I might set the square mainsail, which 
would give time for the Arrow to arrive ; indeed at this 
time I was in a state of great anxiety. However, I had 
made up my mind not to be taken alive, and to sell my 
life as dearly as I could. 

When the enemy perceived that we had put before the 
wind, he did the same, and, as we were about half a mile 
from each other, we continued to exchange broadsides as 
we ran, she gradually nearing us so as to make her heavy 
artillery more effective. This portion of the contest 
continued for an hour, during which my little schooner 
had received much injury, and we were constantly 
repairing damages. At last, much to my delight, the 
day began to dawn, and I discovered the Arrow about a 
mile and a half from us, right astern, under a press of sail. 

I pointed her out to my officers and men, who were 
inspired with fresh courage at the sight. The enemy 
also perceived her, and appeared determined to bring 


86 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 


the combat to an issue previous to her coming up, and I 
feared that, at all events, I might swing at the yard-arm, 
let the issue of the coming combat be what it might. 
She neared, steering a course* so as to cut me off, and I 
continued to pour in my broadsides to cripple her if 
possible, as she did not now fire, but ran steadily for me, 
and my chances were bad. 

Anxious that the Arrow should close as soon as pos- 
sible, I hauled down my square mainsail, that we might 
not run from her, and prepared for an obstinate resist- 
ance if boarded. At last the Frenchman was within a 
cable’s length, and at this critical moment the Arrow was 
about a mile to windward. We poured in our last broad- 
side, and hastened to seize our pikes and cutlasses to 
repel the boarders, when to my satisfaction I found that 
one of our shot had cut his gaff in two. I immediately 
rounded to the wind ; and as my antagonist was within 
pistol-shot of me, with her men all ready for the leap on 
board, I put my helm down, went round in stays, and 
crossed her so near to windward that you might have 
thrown a biscuit on board. 

This maneuver prevented his boarding, and I may say 
saved my life, for his gaff being shot away he could not 
heave in stays to follow me, but was obliged to wear 
round after me, which increased his distance at least a 
cable’s length to leeward. A furious broadside, however, 
which he poured in, crippled me altogether. Every thing 
came running down upon the decks, and I was left a 
complete wreck ; but I was to windward of him, and 
although he might sink me, he could not board or take 
possession until he had refitted his after-sail. 

But now his time was come. A fresh antagonist, with 
equal weight of metal, was close to him, and he had to 
decide whether he would fight or run. Whether he con- 
ceived that running was useless, which it certainly was, 
or was determined to take us both or die, I know not ; 
certain it is that he did not put his vessel before the 
wind, but waited with determination the coming up of the 
Arrow. Captain Levee passed under the Frenchman’s 
stern, raking him with a broadside that almost unrigged 
him, and then engaged him to leeward, so as to cut off all 
chance of his escape. 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 


87 


The Frenchman returned the fire with spirit, and I 
took my men from my guns that we might set some sail 
upon the vessel, for after the Arrow commenced her fire 
no further notice was taken of me by the Frenchman. 
After a contest well maintained for half an hour, the 
mainmast of the Frenchman went by the board, and this 
almost settled the question, as he could not keep his 
vessel to the wind, and consequently she fell off, and 
received a raking fire from the Arrow. At last her 
bowsprit was between the main and fore rigging of the 
Arrow, and her decks were swept by the Arrow’s raking 
fire. I had got some sail up forward, and was anxious 
to be at the close of the action. I perceived that the 
Frenchman was attempting to board the lugger, and was 
pouring all his people on the forecastle, and I therefore 
edged down to him that I might, with my people, board 
him on the quarter, which would place him, as we say, 
between two fires. The conflict was at its highest, the 
French attempting and the Arrow’s crew repelling them 
when I laid my schooner on her quarter, and leaped on 
board of her with my few remaining men. The French- 
men turned to repel my attack, and thus weakened their 
party opposed to the Arrow’s men ; the consequence 
was, that they were first beaten back, and then boarded 
by Captain Levee and his crew. 

As soon as I had gained the deck of the Frenchman, 
I thought of nothing but to single out the French captain. 
At first I could not see him, but as his crew retreated 
from Captain Levee and his men, I perceived him, pale 
and exhausted, but still attempting to rally them. As 
my object was to take him alive, I rushed in advance at 
him, wrestled, and threw him on his back on the deck. 
There I held him, while the combatants, fighting and 
retreating, tumbled over us one after another, and 
bruised us severely with their weight. At last the 
French were beaten below, and I had time to breathe ; 
calling to two of my men, I desired them to take 
charge of the French captain, and, as they valued their 
lives, not to let him escape, or destroy himself, but to take 
him into our vessel and guard him carefully in my cabin. 
Having done this, I went to Captain Levee, and we 
embraced. 


88 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 


“ You did not come a minute too soon,” I said, wiping 
the blood from my face. 

“ No indeed ; and, but for your clever maneuver you 
would have been beaten. Your vessel is a mere nutshell 
compared to this ; — you did well, more than well, to 
maintain the combat so long. Have you lost many 
men ? ” 

“ We had ten sent below before we boarded ; what 
may have followed since I do not know. I have the 
French captain safe in my cabin.” 

“ I saw the men hand him over : — well, now to repair 
damages, and then I will tell you what you shall do. I 
must send on board and help you ; the Arrow has not 
suffered much considering, and I can spare the men. 
As soon as we have cleared up the decks a little, we will 
breakfast together, and talk the matter over.” 

It required two hours before we could clear the decks 
of our vessels, for we had separated, and the Arrow had 
taken charge of the prize. Before I took the boat to go 
on board the Arrow, I went down into my cabin, where 
the French captain lay bound and watched by two of the 
men. 

“You are prepared to pay the penalty agreed upon, 
monsieur ? ” said I. 

“ I am, sir,” he replied. “ I now understand what you 
meant when you said that I should meet with my match. 
I have no one to blame but myself. I urged you to the 
conditions, expecting an easy and certain conquest with 
my superior vessel. I have fallen into my own net, and 
there’s an end to the matter — except that when things go 
wrong, a woman is certain to be at the bottom of it.” 

“ I am aware, sir,” I replied, “ that your wife instigated 
you to act as you did, or you would never have so 
behaved. In attempting to revenge the death of one 
husband she has lost two.” 

“ Cestvrai ,” replied the Frenchman, composedly, and 
I then quitted the cabin, and went on board of the 
Arrow. 

“ Well, Elrington,” said Captain Levee, “ what do you 
intend to do with the French captain ? Is he to pay the 
forfeit, and swing at the yard-arm ? ” 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 


89 


“ I don’t like hanging a man, especially a brave man, 
in cold blood,” I replied. “ It was all his wife’s doing, 
and he has confessed as much.” 

“ He would certainly have hanged you,” replied 
Levee. 

“ Yes, that I believe ; but it would have been that he 
might have a quiet life at home — not from any resent- 
ment against me. Now I have no feeling of that kind to 
actuate me.” 

“ What will you do, then ? ” 

“ Not hang him, certainly ; and yet I should like to 
punish her.” 

“ She deserves it,” replied Captain Levee. “ Now, 
Elrington, will you approve of my suggestion ? ” 

“ Let me hear it.” 

“ It is this: they do not know that I have assisted in 
taking the privateer, as they have no idea that I am 
here. As soon as we have refitted her and your vessel, I 
will remain where I am. You shall run into the mouth 
of the Garonne, with your colors flying, and the English 
Jack over the French flag on board of the prize. This 
will lead them to suppose that you have taken the vessel 
without assistance. When just out of gun-shot, heave-to, 
fire a gun, and then swing an effigy to the yard-arm and 
remain there, to make them suppose that you have hung 
the French captain. At nightfall you can make sail and 
rejoin me. That will punish her, and annoy them 
generally.” 

“ I will do so; it is an excellent device, and she will 
never know the truth for a long time to come.” 

We remained all that day refitting; in the evening I 
made sail, in company with the French schooner, which 
was manned by Captain Levee, and stood in shore. At 
break of the following day I ran in, standing for the 
harbor, without my colors being hoisted, and then it 
occurred to me that I would make their disappointment 
greater, by allowing them first to imagine that the victory 
was theirs ; so, when about six miles off, I hoisted French 
colors on the French schooner, and French colors over 
English on board of my own. 

I continued to stand on till within two miles and a half 


9 <> 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 


of the batteries, and could see crowds flocking down to 
witness the supposed triumphant arrival of their privateer 
into port; when of a sudden I hauled my wind, hove-to, 
brailed up my sails, and changed the colors, firing a gun 
in bravado. Allowing them half an hour to comment 
upon this disappointment, I then fired another gun, and 
hoisted up to the yard-arm the figure of a man, composed 
of clothes stuffed with hay, made to represent the French 
captain ; and having so done, I remained during the 
whole forenoon, with my sails brailed up, that they might 
have a clear view of the hanging figure. At last we per- 
ceived a large boat, with a flag of truce, coming out of 
the river. I remained where I was, and, allowing it to 
come alongside, I perceived in it the French officer who 
had pledged himself to give the conditions of the combat 
to the lady; and seated by him was the French captain’s 
wife, with her head sunk down on her knees, and her face 
buried in her handkerchief. 

I saluted the officer as he came on deck. He returned 
my bow, and then said, “ Sir, the fortune of war has 
proved in your favor, and I perceive that the conditions 
of the issue of the combat have been adhered to on your 
side. Against that I have not a word to say, as my friend 
would have as rigidly adhered to them. But, sir, we war 
not with the dead, and I have come off at the request of 
his miserable wife, to beg that you will, now that your 
revenge is satisfied, deliver up to her her husband’s body, 
that it may receive the rites of the Church, and a Chris- 
tian burial. You surely, as a brave man, will not deny 
this small favor to a woman whom you have twice 
deprived of her husband ? ” 

“ Sir,” I replied, “ on condition that this lady will step 
on board and make the request herself, I will comply 
with it, but on no other terms.” 

“ It will be most painful, and her feelings might well 
have been spared such a trial as to meet your face again, 
and make the request in person ; but, as you insist upon 
it, I will make known your terms.” 

As he went into his boat I ran down into the cabin, 
and desired them to cast loose the French captain, saying 
to him, “ Sir, your wife is here requesting your body, 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 


91 


which she believes to be swinging at the yard-arm, for I 
have put that trick into execution to punish her. I never 
intended to take your life, and I shall now do more, I 
shall give you not only life but liberty — such shall be my 
revenge/’ 

The French captain stared as if confounded, but made 
no reply. I then went on deck, where I found the lady 
had been lifted up the side. They led her to me, and 
she fell on her knees, but the effort was too much for her, 
and she fainted away. I ordered her to be taken down 
into the cabin, and, without any explanation, desired the 
French officer to accompany her, not wishing to be 
present at the unexpected meeting. I therefore remained 
on deck, and ordering the men to lower down the effigy, 
they did so, laughingat the French seamen in the boat, 
who for the first time perceived, for they had not looked 
up before, that it was only a sham captain. I looked 
over the side, and told them that the captain was alive 
and well, and would be in the boat very soon, at which 
they were greatly rejoiced. In the mean time the explana- 
tion took place in the cabin, and after a few minutes the 
French officer came up and expressed his satisfaction at 
what I had done. 

“ You have given a lesson, sir, without being guilty of 
barbarity. Your conduct has been noble.” 

He was soon followed by the French captain and his 
lady, who was now all gratitude, and would have kissed 
my hands, but I prevented her, and said, “ Madam, at 
least now you have no occasion to hate me. If I was so 
unfortunate, in self-defense, as to slay your first husband, 
I have restored to you your second. Let us, then, part 
in amity.” 

The French captain squeezed my hand, but said 
nothing. I begged they would take some refreshment, 
but they were too anxious to return and undeceive their 
friends, and requested permission to go into the boat. 
Of course I consented, and as the boat pulled away the 
crew gave three huzzas, as a compliment to us. When 
they were a mile in shore, I hauled down the colors of 
both vessels, and made sail out to rejoin Captain Levee, 
which I did in the evening, and then related all that had 
passed. 


92 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 


He was much pleased with the result of the affair, and 
we then, having consulted, considered it advisable to run 
back to Liverpool with the prize, for she required so 
many hands to man her as to render us by no means effi- 
cient vessels. Moreover, I have omitted to state that, 
while I was in the Garonne, the Arrow had taken two 
good prizes, which she had manned and sent to Liver- 
pool. We therefore made sail to the northward, and in 
a week were again in port, with our prize. We found 
that the other vessels had arrived safe, and the owner was 
much pleased with the results of this short and eventful 
cruise. 


CHAPTER XI. 

I cause myself to be dismissed from my Owner’s Service — Am 
arrested — Conveyed to London, and confined in the Tower — Am 
visited by a Romish Priest, and through his interference obtain my 
Liberation — Set off to Liverpool, and find my Owner and Captain 
Levee — Their Surprise — Miss Trevannion. 

When I called upon our owner, which I did as soon as 
I had dropped my anchor and furled sails, he embraced 
me, and then led me into the back room next to his 
counting-house. 

“ My dear Elrington,” said he, “well as you managed 
to get off the Jacobite gentlemen, there is a strong sus- 
picion on the part of the government that they were on 
board of your vessel, and -that I was a party to their 
escape. Whether they will take any measures now that 
you have returned I know not ; they may have gained 
some intelligence, or they may worm out something, by 
their emissaries, from those who compose your crew, and 
if so we must expect their vengeance. Now tell me 
where you landed them, and all the events of your cruise, 
for I have heard but little from those who brought in the 
prizes taken by the Arrow. Captain Levee is too busy 
with his own vessel and the prize to come on shore for 
these two hours, and I wish to talk with you alone upon 
this affair.” 

After I had narrated all that had passed, and the man- 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 


93 


ner in which the French privateer had been captured, the 
owner said — 

“ If the government spies, and there are plenty of them 
about, find out from your crew that you landed passengers 
at Bordeaux, depend upon it you will be arrested and 
examined, without you get out of the way till the affair 
has blown over. Now the men will narrate in the taverns 
the curious history of this French privateer, and in so 
doing can not fail to state that you were on shore in 
France. Now, Elrington, you have run the risk to oblige 
me, and I must keep you out of difficulty ; and, if you 
feel inclined to hide yourself for a time, I will of course 
pay all your expenses.” 

“ No,” I replied ; “ if they find out what has taken 
place, and wish to get hold of me in consequence, I think 
it will be better to brave it out. If I hide away, it will 
make them more anxious to have me, and will confirm 
their suspicions that I am what they are pleased to call a 
traitor ; a reward will be offered for my apprehension, 
and at any time that I do appear the reward will cause 
me to be taken up. If, on the contrary, I brave it out, 
and, if I am asked, say at once that I did land passen- 
gers, at all events they will not make it high treason ; so, 
with your leave, I will stay. I hardly need say that I 
shall take the whole responsibility on myself, and declare 
that I took them on board without your knowledge ; that 
you may rest assured of.” 

“ On consideration, I think that your plan is the best,” 
replied my owner. “ I am grateful for your offer of 
screening me, which I would not permit, were it not that 
I shall be useful to you if any mischance takes place, and, 
if in prison, could be of no service.” 

“ Then, sir,” I replied, “ the wisest course will be for 
you at once to dismiss me from the command of the 
privateer, in consequence of your having been informed 
that I carried passengers and landed them in France. 
That step will prove you a friend to the government, and 
will enable you, after a time, to get me out of my scrape 
more effectually.” 

“ You are sacrificing yourself, Elrington, and all for 
me.” 


94 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 


“ Not so, sir. I am only securing a friend in case of 
need.” 

“ That you certainly are,” replied my owner, squeezing 
my hand. “Well, it will be the best plan even for you, 
and so let it be.” 

“ Then I will now return on board, and tell the officers 
that I am dismissed. There is no time to be lost ; and 
here comes Captain Levee ; so for the present, sir, fare- 
well.” 

On my return on board, I called up the officers and 
men, and told them that I had offended the owner, and 
that he had dismissed me from the command of the pri- 
vateer. One of the officers inquired what I had done : 
and I said, before the men, that it was for landing the 
passengers in France. They all condoled with me, and 
expressed their sorrow at my leaving them, and I believe 
they were sincere. It was fortunate that I did as I had 
done, for I found that the government emissaries were on 
board at the time that I made the communication, and 
had already gained the information from some of my 
crew. I ordered my chest and bedding to be put into 
the boat, and, as soon as they were ready, I gave up the 
command to the first officer, and, bidding them all fare- 
well, went down the side and pulled on shore, repairing 
to my former lodgings. 

I had not been there two hours before I was arrested 
and taken to prison. I was, however, very comfortably 
lodged, because I was a state prisoner, and I presume 
that more respect is paid to a man when he is to be drawn 
and quartered, and his head set above the Tower gates, 
than a petty malefactor. The next day I was summoned 
before what was called the Commission, and asked 
whether I had not landed some people in France ? I 
replied immediately that I had done so. 

“ Who were they ? ” was the. next inquiry. 

“ They stated themselves to be Roman Catholic 
priests,” replied I, “ and such I believed them to be.” 

“ Why did I do so ? ” 

“ Because, in the first place, they paid me a hundred 
guineas each ; and, in the second, because I considered 
them mischievous, dangerous men, conspiring against the 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 


95 


government, and that the sooner they were out of the 
country the better.” 

“ How did I know that they were traitors ? ” 

“ All Roman priests were traitors in my opinion, and I 
hated them as bad as I did the French ; but it is difficult 
to deal with a priest, and I thought that I was perform- 
ing a good service in ridding the country of them.” 

“ Who else was privy to the affair ? ” 

“No one ; I had made the arrangement with them 
myself, and not an officer or man on board knew any 
thing about it.” 

“But my owner, Mr. Trevannion, was he a party to 
it?” 

“ No, he was not ; and on my return he dismissed me 
from the command of the privateer, as soon as he found 
out that I had landed the priests in France.” 

A great many more questions were put to me, all of 
which I answered very cautiously, yet without apparent 
hesitation ; and, after an examination of four hours, the 
president of the Commission told me that I had been, by 
my own acknowledgment, aiding and abetting the escape 
of malignant traitors, and prevented them meeting their 
just fate on the scaffold. That, in so doing, I had been 
guilty of treason, and must abide the sentence of the 
supreme Commission in London, whither I should be 
sent the following day. I replied that I was a loyal sub- 
ject ; that I hated the French and Romish plotters, and 
that I had done what I considered was best ; that if I 
had done wrong, it was only an error in judgment ; and 
any one that said I was a traitor lied in his throat. 

My reply was taken down, and I was sent back to 
prison. 

The following afternoon the gaoler came into my room, 
accompanied by two persons, one of whom informed me 
that I was delivered over to their custody to be taken to 
London. I was led out, and at the door I found three 
horses, upon one of which I was desired to mount. As 
soon as I was in the saddle, a rope was passed from one 
leg to the other under the horse’s belly, so as to prevent 
my escape ; and my horse was led between the other two, 
upon which my keepers rode, each having a hand-rein 


9 6 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 


made fast from my horse’s bridle to his own. A crowd 
was assembled round the entrance of the gaol, and among 
the lookers-on I perceived Captain Levee and my owner ; 
but of course I thought it imprudent to take any notice 
of them, and they did not make any recognition of me. 

I hardly need say, my dear Madam, how very revolting 
it was to my feelings to be thus led away like a felon ; 
but at the same time I must acknowledge the courtesy of 
my conductors, who apologized for being compelled to 
take such measures of security, and on the way showed 
great kindness and good-feeling. 

Everything being arranged, we proceeded on our jour- 
ney : but it was late when we set off, owing to one of my 
conductors being sent for by the commissioner, and hav- 
ing to wait for letters for nearly three hours. As it may 
be supposed, we could not travel at speed, and we seldom 
went faster than a walk, which I was sorry for, as I was 
anxious that the journey should be over and my fate de- 
cided as soon as possible. 

Almost an hour after dark, a party of men rushed from 
the side of the road, and some seizing the bridles of the 
horses the others threw the two conductors off their sad- 
dles by taking them by the leg and heaving them over on 
the other side. This was done so quickly, that the two 
men, who were well armed, had not time to draw out a 
pistol or any other weapon of defense ; as soon as they 
were on the ground they were immediately seized and 
overpowered. The faces of the men who had thus as- 
sailed the king’s officers were blackened so as to disguise 
them, but from their voices I knew them to be the men 
and officers of the privateer. “ Now then, Captain 
Elrington,” said one of them, “ be off with you as fast as 
possible, and we will take care of these fellows.” 

I still remained in my saddle, and, although somewhat 
flurried with the surprise of the attack, I had had time to 
recover myself, and had decided upon my mode of be- 
havior. I felt, as I had said to the owner when we con- 
sulted together, that an escape now would be only put- 
ting off the evil day, and that it was better to meet the 
case boldly at once ; so I rose in my stirrups, and said to 
the men in a loud voice, “ My good fellows, I am much 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 


97 


obliged to you for your exertions in my behalf, as it 
proves your good-will, but I can not and will not take ad- 
vantage of them. By some mistake I am accused of be- 
ing a traitor, when 1 feel that I am a true and loyal sub- 
ject, which I have no doubt will be fully established upon 
my arrival in London. I can not, therefore, take advan- 
tage of this opportunity to escape. I respect the laws of 
my country, and I beg you to do the same. Oblige me 
by releasing the two gentlemen whom you have made 
your prisoners, and assist them to remount their horses, 
for I am resolved that I will go to London and be hon- 
orably acquitted. Once more, my lads, many thanks for 
your kind intentions ; and now I wish you farewell ; and 
if you would do me a great favor, you will disperse 
peaceably, and leave us to proceed on our journey.” 

The men perceived that I was in earnest, and therefore 
did as I requested, and in another minute I was again 
alone with my two keepers. 

“You have behaved honorably, sir, and perhaps 
wisely,” observed one of my conductors, as he was about 
to remount his horse. “ I will not ask you who those 
people were, although I have no doubt but you recognized 
them yourself.” 

“ No,” I replied, “ I did not. I guessed from whence 
they came, but I did not recognize any one individual.” 

I gave this cautious answer, although I had recognized 
Captain Levee and one of my own officers. 

“ Well, Captain Elrington, you have proved to us that 
you may be trusted, and therefore, on your pledging your 
word that you will not escape, we shall have a great 
pleasure in removing all unpleasant precautions.” 

“ I certainly have proved that I would not escape, and 
will readily give you my assurance that I will not alter 
my mind.” 

“ That is sufficient, sir,” replied the officer ; and he 
then cut away the rope which bound my legs, and also 
took off the two leading reins attached to the other horses. 
“ We shall now,” he said, “proceed not only more pleas- 
antly, but more rapidly.” 

My conductors then mounted their horses, and we set 
off at a good trot, and in an hour arrived at the place 


9 8 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 


where we were to put up for the night. We found sup- 
per prepared for us, and good beds. My conductors now 
left me free of all restraint, and we retired to our beds. 
The next day we continued our journey in the same man- 
ner. My companions were pleasant and gentlemanlike 
men, and we discoursed freely upon every topic ; no one 
could have imagined that I was a state-prisoner. 

We arrived at London on the fifth day, and I was then 
delivered over to the keeper of the Tower, according to 
the instructions that my conductors had received. They 
bade me farewell, and promised that they would not fail 
to represent my conduct to the authorities, and gave me 
hopes of a speedy release. I had the same idea, and took 
possession of the apartments prepared for me (which were 
airy and well ventilated) with almost cheerfulness. 

On the third day of my arrival a Commission was sent 
to the Tower to examine me, and I gave the same 
replies as before. They were very particular in obtain- 
ing the descriptions of the persons of those whom I had 
landed in France, and I answered without disguise. I 
afterward found out that I had done a very foolish 
thing. Had I misrepresented their persons, it would 
have been supposed that they really were four Catholic 
priests, but from my exact description they discovered 
that I had rescued the four traitors (as they termed them) 
that they were the most anxious to secure and make an 
example of ; and their annoyance at this discovery had 
so angered them against me that my subsequent con- 
duct could not create any feeling favorable toward 
me. 

Three weeks elapsed, and I was wearied of confine- 
ment. My gaoler told me that he feared my case was a 
bad one ; and, after another week had passed, he said 
that I was condemned as aiding and abetting treason. I 
must say that I little expected this result, and it quite 
overthrew me. I asked my gaoler what was his authority. 
He said that so many people had assisted and effected 
the escape of the rebels without one having been con- 
victed of having so done except myself, on my own 
avowal, that they deemed it absolutely necessary that an 
example should be made to deter others from aiding 


99 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 

those who were still secreted in the country ; and that 
in consequence it had been decided by the Privy Coun- 
cil that I should be made an example of. He told me 
much more which I need not repeat, except that it 
proved the malignant feeling that was indulged by the 
powers in authority against those who had assisted their 
defeated opponents, and I felt that I had no chance, and 
prepared my mind to meet my fate. 

Alas, my dear Madam, I was but ill prepared to die, 
— not that I feared death, but I feared what must be my 
condition after death. I had lived a reckless, lawless 
life, without fear of God or man ; all the religious 
feelings which had been instilled into me by my good 
tutor (you know my family history, and I need say no 
more) during my youth had been gradually sapped away 
by the loose companionship which I had held since the 
time that I quitted my father’s house ; and when I heard 
that I was to die my mind was in a state of great dis- 
quiet and uncomfortable feeling. I wished to review 
my life, and examine myself, but I hardly knew where to 
begin. 

All was chaos and confusion. I could remember 
many bad actions, but few good ones. I felt that I was 
like a vessel without a rudder, and without a pilot ; and 
after hours and hours of deep thought I would give up 
the task of examination in stern despair, saying to 
myself, “ Well, if it must be so, it must.” I felt an 
inclination to defy that Heaven which I felt would never 
be opened to me. This was the case for more than a 
week after I heard of my condemnation, until I began to 
reflect upon the nature of our creed, and the terms of 
salvation which were offered ; and as I thought over them 
I felt a dawn of hope, and I requested the gaoler to 
furnish me with a Bible. I read it day and night, for I 
expected every morning to be summoned to execution. 
I felt almost agony at times lest such should be the case ; 
but time passed on, and another fortnight elapsed, 
during which I had profited by my reading, and felt 
some contrition for my many offenses and my life of 
guilt, and I also felt that I could be saved through the 
merits of Him who died for the whole world. Day after 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 


IOO 

day my faith became more lively, and my mind more at 
ease. One morning the gaoler came to me, and said 
that there was a priest who wished to see me. As I 
understood he was a Roman, I was about to refuse ; but 
on consideration I thought otherwise, and he was admit- 
ted. He was a tall, spare man, with a dark Spanish 
countenance. 

“ You are, I believe,” said he, “ Captain Elrington, 
who effected the escape of some of our poor friends, and 
who are now condemned for your kind act ? ” 

“ I am, sir,” replied I. 

“ I am aware,” said he, “ that your profession of faith 
is not mine, and do not, therefore, come to talk with you 
on serious points, without you should wish it yourself ; 
my object is, being indebted as we are to you for saving 
our friends, to offer to be of any use that I can to you, in 
executing any wishes, or delivering any messages, which 
you may wish to give, should you suffer for your gener- 
ous conduct, and you may trust any thing to me with 
safety, that I swear to you ; ” and he took a crucifix 
from the folds of his garment, and kissed it, as he said so. 

“ I thank you for your kind offer, sir,” replied I, 
“ but I have nothing to trouble you with. I have long 
quitted my family, who know not whether I am alive or 
dead, for reasons that I need not explain. I am under 
an assumed name, and it is my intention to suffer under 
that name, that my family may not be disgraced by my 
ignominious death, or be aware that I have perished on 
the scaffold.” 

“ Perhaps you are right,” replied the priest ; “ but let 
us talk upon another point ; have you no friends that 
could exert themselves in your favor so as to procure 
your pardon and release ? ” 

“ None,” replied I, “ except those who, I am sure, are 
exerting themselves to the utmost of their power, and to 
whom no message from me is necessary.” 

“ Do you know nobody at court,” said the priest, 
“ no person of rank in the government — or I may say 
opposed to the government — for people now-a-days are 
not what they seem or pretend to be ? ” 

“ I have no knowledge of any titled person,” replied 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 


IOI 


I ; “ when I parted with one of the gentlemen whom I 
landed at Bordeaux he gave me the name of a lady of 
quality at Paris, desiring me, if in difficulty, to apply to 
him through her ; but that was if in difficulty in France ; 
of course she could do nothing for me in this country.” 

“ Have you the name of the lady ? ” 

“ Yes,” replied I ; “it is on the first leaf of my pocket- 
book. Here it is.” 

The priest read the name, and then said — 

“ You must write immediately a few words, acquainting 
her with your position. I will see the letter safely 
delivered before the week is over.” 

“ What good can she possibly do me ? ” replied I. 

“ I can not say ; but this I know, that if any thing is 
to be done, it will be. Write immediately.” 

The priest called the gaoler, and requested writing 
materials, which were brought, and in a few minutes I 
had done as he requested. 

“ There, sir, I have written to please you ; but I can- 
didly state that I consider it a useless attempt.” 

“ Were I of your opinion I should not have advised 
you to write,” replied he. “ There are wheels within 
wheels that you have no conception of, in these troubled 
times. What I most fear is that it may arrive too 
late.” 

The priest took his leave of me, and I was left to my 
own thoughts. When I considered that the address of 
this lady had been given to me by the very man whom 
they were so anxious to secure as a traitor, I at once 
decided that no benefit could arrive from any interference 
on her part ; and I therefore, after a quarter of an hour, 
dismissed the whole subject from my thoughts, and com- 
menced my reading of the sacred writings. The follow- 
ing morning, when the gaoler came in, I could not help 
observing to him, that as I had been condemned so many 
days I felt much surprise at the delay of my execution. 
His reply was, that he heard that others were in custody 
upon the same charge, and that they waited for their 
convictions, that we might all suffer at the same time ; 
for the order for my execution had come on the Friday 
last, but had been countermanded on the afternoon of 


102 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 


the same day. Although this satisfied me that I had no 
hopes of escape, yet I was pleased that I had more time 
for preparation, and I renewed my reading with ardor. 
Another week passed, when the gaoler, with a solemn 
face, and much apparent concern, came in, and informed 
me that the other parties arrested had been tried before 
the Commission, and had been condemned, and that it 
was expected that the execution would take place either 
on the morrow or the day after. The announcement did 
not affect me much. I had made up my mind that I 
should suffer, and had to a degree weaned myself from 
life. I considered how all hopes of my ever enjoying the 
delight of my family and kindred ties had flown away, 
and I looked with disgust upon my career as a privateers- 
man — a career of recklessness and blood, so denounced 
by the sacred writings which I had before me. I reflected, 
that if I were to leave the prison I should have no other 
means of sustenance, and should probably return to my 
former life, and load my soul with a still heavier weight of 
crime ; and, although I felt an occasional bitter pang at 
the idea of leaving the world so young — a world which I 
could not hate — still I was, after a few hours’ communing 
and reflection, resigned to my fate, and exclaimed with 
sincerity, “ Thy will be done.” I think, Madam, you may 
have observed that, sinful as I was, my whole career 
proved that I was not a hardened sinner. Good was not 
driven entirely out of me, but was latent, notwithstand- 
ing all my excesses, and the bad company which had 
influenced me. 

I now prayed, and I prayed earnestly, and I thought 
that my prayers were heard. Such was my state of mind 
on the day before the one appointed for my execution, 
when the gaoler and one of the sheriff’s officers came 
into my cell, accompanied by the Roman Catholic priest 
whom I have before mentioned. I perceived by the 
countenance of the gaoler, who was a humane man, that 
he had no unpleasant news. The sheriff’s officer delivered 
to him an order for my liberation, and to my astonish- 
ment I was told by the gaoler that my pardon was signed, 
and that I was free. I was stupefied with the intelligence, 
and I stood without making any reply. The priest 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 


I03 


waved his hand to them as a hint to leave the room, 
which they both did. As they left, my eyes followed 
them, and then I cast them down upon the Bible which 
lay before me on the table, and, slipping down from the 
bench upon my knees, I covered up my face and prayed. 
My prayers were confused — I hardly knew what I said — 
but I knew that they were intended to be grateful to 
Heaven for my unexpected preservation from an igno- 
minious death. After a time, I rose up, and perceived 
the priest, whose presence I had till then forgotten. He 
had been kneeling at the other side of the table praying 
with me, and I am sure for me — and he was rising up 
just after I had. 

“ I trust, Captain Elrington,” said he, after a pause, 
“ that the peril you have been in will influence your future 
life ; and that this severe trial will not be thrown away 
upon you.” 

“ I trust not, sir,” replied I. “ I feel that it has been 
good for me to have been afflicted. I believe that I 
have been indebted to your exertions for my deliver- 
ance.” 

“ No further than having seen your letter duly and 
speedily delivered. I could do no more, for with all 
will I have no power ; and that was little to do for 
one who so generously assisted our friends in their 
distress.” 

“ Am I then to believe that I am indebted to the inter- 
est of a French lady, residing at the court of Versailles, 
for my deliverance ? ” 

“ Even so — this may appear strange to you, Captain 
Elrington, but such is the case. Understand, that in 
these troubled times the ruling monarch of this country 
can not distinguish his friends from his enemies. He can 
only trust to professions, and they are not always sincere. 
There are many in the council at this time who, if the 
Pretender, as he is called, had succeeded, would long 
before this have joined him, and who had wished him 
success, although they dared not venture to assist him. 
The interest of the lady in question with these people 
has prevailed over the true adherents of the Hanoverian 
king, and thus through this lady have you obtained your 


104 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 


release. I state this to you in confidence ; to publish 
what I have told you would be to betray your friends. 
Can I be of any further service to you ? for you can leave 
your prison as soon as you please.” 

“ None, I thank you, good sir,” replied I ; “I have 
money more than sufficient to reward my gaoler and to 
defray my expenses to Liverpool.” 

“ You have my best thanks and sincere wishes for your 
happiness. Then I will not intrude upon you any more, 
except to give you my address in case of need. You 
have made warm friends by your conduct, and if ever you 
require their assistance it will not be withheld.” 

The priest gave his address upon a piece of paper and 
then came to me. 

“ Our creeds are not exactly the same, but you will not, 
my son, refuse my blessing?” said he, putting his hand 
upon my head. 

“ Oh, no,” said I, dropping on my knees, “ I receive it 
all in thankfulness.” 

“ May God bless you, my son,” said he, with emotion 
— and he then quitted the cell. 

What with the previous excitement when my liberation 
was announced, and the parting with the kind priest, my 
feelings were so powerful, that, as soon as I was alone, I 
gave vent to them in a flood of tears. As soon as I was 
more composed, I rose from the bench, put my neces- 
saries into my valise, and summoned the gaoler, to whom 
I made a handsome present, thanking him for his kind- 
ness during my incarceration. I then shook hands with 
him, feed the turnkey who had attended upon me, and in 
a minute more I was clear of the Tower gates. How 
my heart heaved when I was once more in the open 
air. 

I looked around me, and perceived that many men 
were busy in erecting a scaffolding. My heart sank as I 
beheld them, as I felt certain what it was for ; but to 
verify my opinion, I turned to an old woman who had a 
sort of stall from which she dispensed mead to the pop- 
ulace, and inquired of her for what the scaffold was being 
erected. 

“ It’s for the men who are to be executed to-morrow 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 


105 

for aiding the Jacobites to escape,” said she. “Won’t 
your worship take a glass of mead this morning ? ” 

“ I am not thirsty,” I replied, as I walked hastily away 
with my valise upon my shoulders. 

A stranger to this part of London, I hardly knew 
where to direct my steps ; I walked past the square before 
the Tower, until I came into a street called Catherine 
Street, where a tavern met my view, and into it I entered 
immediately, — glad, as it were, to hide myself, for I felt 
as if all the world looked upon me as a person just dis- 
charged from prison. I obtained good entertainment 
there, and slept there that night. The next morning, 
the host having provided me two good horses, and a 
youngster to take them back, I set off for Liverpool, and 
after five days’ travel without adventure I arrived at the 
town, and proceeded direct to the house of Mr. Trevan- 
nion, my owner. I took my valise off the boy’s horse, 
and having paid him for his attendance I knocked at the 
door, for it was late in the evening, and dark, when I 
arrived. The door (for it was at his private house door, 
which was next the counting-house door, that I knocked) 
was opened ; and the woman who opened it shrieked, 
and let drop the candle, exclaiming, “ Help, O God — a 
ghost, a ghost ! ” for it appeared that the news had 
arrived at Liverpool from a messenger who had been sent 
express after I had been condemned, stating that there 
was no hope, and that I was to suffer on the Monday 
previous ; and this was Saturday evening on which I had 
arrived. Mr. Trevannion’s clerk, hearing a noise in the 
passage, came out with another candle, and, seeing me, 
and the woman lying on the floor in a swoon, stared, 
staggered to the door of the room where his master was 
sitting, and the door being ajar he fell back with great 
force into the room, dropping under the table between 
Mr. Trevannion and Captain Levee, who was sitting with 
him, smoking, as was very often their wont. This 
brought out Captain Levee with one of the table- 
candlesticks, who, upon seeing me, ran to me, and 
embracing me warmly, cried out, as the clerk made his 
escape — 

“ Here is Elrington alive and well, sir.” 


io 6 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 


At this announcement Mr. Trevannion came out, and 
threw himself into my arms, saying — 

“ I thank God for all his mercies, but, above all, that 
I have not been the cause of your death, my dear Elring- 
ton. Come in,” he exclaimed, in a faltering voice ; and 
as soon as he gained his seat he laid his head down 
and sobbed with excitement and joy. 

I followed Captain Levee into the room, and was taking 
a chair, when I perceived there was another person 
present besides Captain Levee and Mr. Trevannion, 
which was the daughter of the latter ; that is, I presumed 
as much, for I knew that he was a widower, and had one 
daughter living, out of a family of three children. She 
appeared to be about seventeen years of age, and had just 
come from a Protestant convent, as they called estab- 
lishments where young women were educated at Chester. 
Mr. Trevannion was still with his face covered, and not 
yet recovered from his burst of feeling, when this young 
gentlewoman came up to me, and said — 

“ Captain Elrington, you have behaved nobly to my 
father ; accept my hand and my friendship.” 

I was so dazzled from coming out of the dark, and so 
excited from what had just passed, that I was almost 
bewildered ; but I accepted the offered hand, and bowed 
over it, although I declare that at the time I could not 
distinguish her features, although I perceived that her 
person was slight and elegant. As she retreated to her 
seat, Mr. Trevannion, who had recovered from his 
emotion, said — 

“ I thought that at this moment your head was 
exhibited over the gates of Temple-bar. The idea, 
as Captain Levee will tell you, has haunted me ; for I felt 
that I was the cause of your death. God bless you, my 
dear sir, and may I have an opportunity of showing you 
my gratitude and regard for your noble conduct toward 
me, and the sacrifice which you would have made. You 
need not tell me, for I know too well, that you took all the 
onus and blame of the affair upon your own shoulders, 
and preferred death to impeaching me.” 

“ My dear Elrington,” said Captain Levee, “ I told our 
crew, and you have proved me a true prophet, that you 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 


107 


never would peach, but die game. We were talking of 
you, supposing you dead, when you came in. I must 
tell you, that more than once Mr. Trevannion had made 
up his mind to deliver himself up, and acknowledge the 
truth, but I prevented him, as it would have been a use- 
less sacrifice.” 

“ You did ; but nevertheless it was so heavy on my con- 
science, that had it not been for your perseverance, and 
the thoughts of leaving my poor girl here an orphan in 
the world, I certainly should have so done, for I felt life 
to be a burden.” 

“ I am very glad that you did not, sir,” I replied ; 
“ my life is of little value ; I have no one to support, no 
one to love, and no one to lament me if I fall. A shot 
from the enemy may soon send me out of the world, 
and there will only be a man the less in it, as far as peo- 
ple are interested about me.” 

“ That is not the case now, at all events,” replied Mr. 
Trevannion ; “but pray tell us how it is that you have 
escaped.” 

“ I have not escaped,” I replied ; “ here is my pardon, 
with the sign-manual.” 

“ And how was it obtained ? ” exclaimed Captain 
Levee ; “ all intercession made through some of the 
strongest friends of the government was in vain, — that 
I can assert ; for you must not suppose that we have 
been idle down here. We did not leave London until 
after you were condemned, and every entreaty to see 
you, or to communicate by letter was denied us.” 

“ I had better, then, begin at the beginning, and state 
all that occurred. I will first thank you, my dear Levee, 
for your kind assistance, which I would not avail myself 
of, as I calculated (wrongly, I own) that it would be 
wiser to remain a prisoner ; and I considered that my 
very refusal to escape would be admitted by the govern- 
ment as a proof of my innocence. I did not know that 
I had to deal with such malignant people.” 

I then commenced my narrative, which occupied the 
remainder of the evening, and, having received their 
congratulations, we had a pipe or two, and, as I was 
fatigued, we retired to bed. I slept little on this, I may 


io8 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 


say, first night of rest and quiet after my liberation. I 
was happy, and yet perplexed. During the time of my 
imprisonment, it had occurred to me that the life of a 
privateersman was not one which I could follow up with 
a good conscience ; and I had, on my journey down to 
Liverpool, made up my mind that I would give it up. 1 
knew this might annoy Mr. Trevannion, and that I should 
have to meet with the ridicule of Captain Levee, and I was 
thinking whether it were possible, in the first place, that 
I could give some well-grounded excuse ; and in the next,_ 
what other means of gaining a livelihood I could sub- 
stitute in its stead. My restlessness induced me to get 
up earlier than usual, and I went out for an hour’s walk 
upon the wharfs. I saw my little schooner riding on the 
stream, and, as she gently rose and dipped to the swell 
which ran in with the tide, she looked so beautiful that 
my resolutions were already giving way. I would look 
at her no longer ; so I turned from the river, and walked 
back to the owner’s house. It was still early when I 
went into the eating-hall, where I found Miss Trevannion 
alone. 


CHAPTER XII. 

I state my newly-awakened scruples as to the lawfulness of a 
Privateersman’s Life to Mr. Trevannion, but nevertheless under- 
take another Cruise — Save a Youth from drowning — Who he proves 
to be — Conflict with a French Privateer — Take her and deliver a 
Prize — Return to Liverpool — Resign the Command of the Sparrow- 
hawk, and agree to superintend Mr. Trevannion’s Business. 

Miss Trevannion, my dear Madam, was taller than 
your sex usually is, her figure slight, and still unformed 
to a certain degree, but promising perfection. Her hair 
was very dark, her features regular and handsome, her 
complexion very pale, and her skin fair as the snow. As 
she stood in silence, she reminded you of a classical 
antique statue, and hardly appeared to breathe through 
her delicate lips ; but when she was animated with con- 
versation, it almost reminded you of the Promethean fire 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 


I09 

which poets state was stolen from Heaven to animate a 
piece of marble. Then the color came in her cheeks, 
intelligence played on her countenance, and every thing 
which at first sight appeared to be wanting, was, like 
magic, found to light up her face. Her smiles were the 
sweetest I ever beheld, and one of those smiles she 
bestowed upon me as I entered the room and paid her 
my obeisance. The night before, I had not observed 
her much ; — I was too busy with her father and Captain 
Levee, and she sat remote from the table and distant 
from the light, and she never spoke but when she took 
my hand and thanked me, as I mentioned before. I 
thought then that her voice was like a silver bell, but 
made no other remark upon her. We had, however, 
exchanged but few words before her father came in, 
accompanied by Captain Levee, and we sat down to our 
morning’s repast of chocolate. 

After we had broken our fast, Captain Levee hastened 
away on board of his vessel. My imprisonment had 
detained him from sailing, and Mr. Trevannion was 
anxious that he should be off as soon as possible to make 
up for lost time, as the expenses of the vessel were 
heavy. 

“ Farewell, Elrington, for the present,” said he ; “ I 
shall come to you on board of your schooner some time 
during the day.” When Captain Levee was gone — for, 
to tell the truth, I was afraid of his ridicule — I thought 
it a good opportunity to give my thoughts to my owner, 
and as I had nothing to say which his daughter might 
not hear, I began as follows : 

“ Mr. Trevannion, I think it right to state to you that 
during my imprisonment a great change has come over 
my feelings upon certain points. I am not ashamed to 
acknowledge that it has been occasioned by the death 
which stared me in the face, and from my having 
seriously communed with myself, and examined, more 
than I perhaps have done during the whole of my for- 
mer life, the sacred writings which are given us as our 
guide. The point to which I refer- is, that I have come 
to a conviction that privateering is not a lawful or 
honorable profession, and with these feelings 1 should 


no 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 


wish to resign the command of the schooner which you 
had the kindness to give me.” 

“Indeed, Elrington,” replied Mr. Trevannion. “Well, 
I should not have thought to have heard this from you, 
I confess. Much as I respect your scruples, you are too 
scrupulous. I can hardly imagine that you have turned 
to the sect of the Quakers, and think fighting is contrary 
to the Scriptures.” 

“ No, sir, not so far as that. I consider war, as a pro- 
fession, both necessary and honorable, and a nation is 
bound to be prepared for any foreign attack, and to act 
upon the defensive, or on the offensive, if it is necessary. 
It is not that. I do not consider the soldier who fights 
for his country is not doing his duty, nor the seamen 
who are employed by the state are not equally justified in 
their profession. What I refer to is privateering. That 
is, vessels fitted out for the purpose of aggression by 
private merchants, and merely for the sake of profit. 
They are not fitted out with any patriotic motives, but 
merely for gain. They are speculations in which the 
lives of people on both sides are sacrificed for the sake 
of lucre — and had you witnessed such scenes of blood- 
shed and cruelty as I have, during my career, such dread- 
ful passions let loose, and defying all restraint, you 
would agree with me that he who leads such miscreants 
to their quarry has much to answer for. Were it possible 
to control the men on board of a privateer as the men 
are controlled in the king’s service it might be more 
excusable ; but manned, as privateers always will be, 
with the most reckless characters, when once they are 
roused by opposition, stimulated by the sight of plunder, 
or drunken with victory, no power on earth can restrain 
their barbarity and vengeance, and a captain of a priva- 
teer who attempted would, in most cases, if he stood 
between them and their will, unless he were supported, 
fall a victim to his rashness. All this I have seen ; and 
all I now express I have long felt, even when younger 
and more thoughtless. You know that I did give up 
privateering at one time, because I was shocked at the 
excess to which I was a party. Since that I have 
accepted the command of a vessel, for the idea of being 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 


Ill 


captain was too flattering to my vanity to permit me to 
refuse ; but reflection has again decided me not to 
engage in it further. I hope this communication will not 
displease you, Mr. Trevannion. If I am wrong in my 
opinion at all events I am sincere, for I am giving up my 
only source of livelihood from a sense of duty.” 

“ I know that you are sincere, Elrington,” replied Mr. 
Trevannion, “ but at the same time I think that you are 
much too straight-laced in your opinions. When nations 
are at war, they mutually do all the mischief they 
can to each other, and I can not see what difference 
there is between my fitting out a privateer under the 
king’s authority, or the king having vessels and men for 
the national service. The government fit out all the 
vessels that they can, and when their own funds are 
exhausted they encourage individuals to employ their 
capital in adding to the means of distressing the enemy. 
If I had property on the high seas, would it be respected 
any more than other English property by the enemy ? 
Certainly not ; and, therefore, I am not bound to respect 
theirs. The end of war is to obtain an honorable 
peace ; and the more the enemy is distressed, the sooner 
are you likely to obtain one. I do not, therefore, con- 
sider that privateering is worse than any other species of 
warfare, or that the privateersman is a whit more reckless 
or brutal than soldiers or men-of-war’s men in the hour 
of victory in the king’s service. 

“ There is this difference, sir,” replied I ; “ first, in 
the officers commanding ; although glad to obtain 
prize-money, they are stimulated by nobler feelings as 
well. They look to honor and distinction ; they have 
the feeling that they are defending their king and 
country, to support them and throw a halo on their exer- 
tions ; and they have such control over their men, that, 
although I admit they are equally inclined to excess as 
the privateersman, they are held in check by the author- 
ity which they dare not resist. Now, Mr. Trevannion, 
privateersmen seek not honor, and are not stimulated by 
a desire to serve the country ; all they look to is how to 
obtain the property of others under sanction ; and could 
they without any risk do so, they would care little 


1 1 2 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 


whether it was English property or not, provided that 
they put the money into their pockets. If I held this 
opinion as a seaman on board of a privateer, what must 
I feel now, when I am the leader of such people, and the 
responsibility of their acts is thrown upon my shoulders, 
for such I feel is the case ! ” 

“ I think,” replied Mr. Trevannion, “that we had bet- 
ter not discuss this question any further just now. Of 
course you must decide for yourself ; but I have this 
favor to ask of you. Trusting to your resuming the com- 
mand of the vessel, I have no one to replace you at 
present, and I hope you will not refuse to take the com- 
mand of her for one more cruise : should you on your 
return and on mature reflection be of the same opinion as 
you are now, I certainly shall no longer press you to 
remain, and will do all I can to assist you in any other 
views you may have.” 

“ To that, sir, I can have no objection,” replied I ; 
“ it would be unfair of me to leave you without a cap- 
tain to the vessel, and I am therefore ready to sail in her 
as soon as you please, upon the understanding that I may 
quit her, if I am of the same opinion as I am now, upon 
my return to port.” 

“ I thank you, my dear sir,” said Mr. Trevannion, ris- 
ing ; “ that is all I request. I must now go to the count- 
ing-house.” 

So saying, he left the room, but his countenance 
showed that he was far from pleased. 

Miss Trevannion, who had been a silent listener to the 
conversation, as soon as her father had closed the door 
after him, thus spoke : 

“ Captain Elrington, the opinion of a young maiden 
like me can be of little value, but you know not how 
much pleasure you have given me by the sentiments you 
have expressed. Alas ! that a man so good, so generous, 
and so feeling in every other respect, should be led away 
by the desire of gain, to be the owner of such a descrip- 
tion of property. But in this town wealth is every thing ; 
the way by which it is obtained is not thought of. My 
father’s father left him a large property in vessels em- 
ployed wholly in the slave-trade, and it was through the 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 


113 

persuasions of my poor mother that my father was induced 
to give up that nefarious traffic. Since that his capital 
has been chiefly employed in privateering, which, if not 
so brutal and disgraceful, is certainly nearly as demoral- 
izing. I have been home but a short time, and I have 
already ventured to express my opinion, certainly not so 
forcibly and so well as you have, upon the subject ; but 
I was laughed at as a tender-hearted girl, who could not 
be a fit judge of such matters. But now that you, a 
captain of one of his vessels, have expressed your dislike 
to the profession, I think some good may arise. If my 
father were a poor man, it would be more excusable, if 
excuse there can be ; but such is not the case. He is 
wealthy, and to whom has he to leave his wealth but to 
me, his only child ? Captain Elrington, you are right — 
be firm — my father’s obligations to you are very great 
and your opinion will have its influence. I am his 
daughter — his only daughter — his love for me is great, I 
know, and I also have my power over him. Supported 
as I have been by you, I will now exert it to the utmost 
to persuade him to retire from further employment of his 
means in such a speculation. I thanked you yesterday, 
when I first saw you, for your noble behavior ; I little 
thought that I should have again, in so short a time, to 
express my thanks.” 

Miss Trevannion did not wait for any reply from me, 
but then quitted the room. 

I must say, that, although so young a person, I was 
much pleased at Miss Trevannion’s approval of my sen- 
timents. She appeared, from the very short acquaint- 
ance I had had with her, to be a person of a firm and 
decided disposition, and very different from the insipid 
class of females generally met with. Her approval 
strengthened my resolution ; still, as I had promised her 
father that I would go another cruise in the privateer, I 
left the house and went on board to resume the com- 
mand. My return was joyfully hailed by the officers and 
men, which is not always the case. I found her, as may 
be supposed, ready for sea at a minute’s warning, so that 
I had nothing to do but embark my effects, which I did 
before the noon was passed, and then went on shore to 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 


114 

Mr. Trevannion, to receive his orders. I found him 
with Captain Levee in the back room ; and I told Mr. 
Trevannion that I had resumed the command, and was 
ready to sail as soon as he pleased. 

“ We must make up for lost time, Elrington,” replied 
he ; “I have ordered Captain Levee to cruise to the 
northward of the Western Isles, occasionally working up 
as far as the Scilly Isles. Now I think you had better 
take your ground in the Channel, between Dunkirk and 
Calais. There is as much to be made by salvage in 
recapturing English vessels in that quarter as there is in 
taking the enemy’s vessels ; and I am sure,” added Mr. 
Trevannion, smiling, “ you will think that legitimate war- 
fare.” 

At this Captain Levee laughed, and said, “ I have 
been told what you said to Mr. Trevannion, Elrington. I 
said that it was the effects of being condemned for high 
treason, and would wear off in a three-months’ cruise.” 

“ Good impressions do wear off very soon, I fear,” 
replied I ; “ but I hope that it will not be the case in 
this instance.” 

“We shall see, my good fellow,” replied Captain 
Levee ; “ for my part I hope they will, for otherwise we 
shall lose the best privateersman I ever fell in with. 
However, it’s no use bringing up the question now ; let 
us wait till our cruises are over, and we meet again. 
Good-by, Elrington, and may you be fortunate. My 
anchor is short stay apeak, and I shall be under sail in 
half an hour.” 

Captain Levee sailed at the time that he mentioned ; 
I remained at anchor till the next morning, and then 
once more was running down the Irish Channel before 
a stiff breeze. I forgot to mention that while at Mr. 
Trevannion’s I had looked at the address of the Catho- 
lic priest who had announced to me my release from 
prison, and had left copies of it, as well as of that of 
the lady at Paris, in the care of Mr. Trevannion. It 
was now cold, autumnal weather, and the Channel was 
but rough sailing-ground. During the first fortnight 
we were fortunate enough to make two recaptures of 
considerable value, which arrived safely in the Thames, 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 


115 

after which we had a succession of gales from the 
southward, it being the time of the equinox, which 
drove us close to the sands of Yarmouth, and we even 
had difficulty in clearing them and getting into sea- 
room by standing to the eastward. The weather still 
continued very bad, and we were lying-to under storm- 
sails for several days, and at last found ourselves a 
degree and a half to the northward, off the coast of 
Norfolk, when the weather moderated, and the wind 
changed to the northward. It was a fine, clear night, 
but with no moon, and we were running before the wind 
to regain our cruising-ground ; but the wind again 
shifted and baffled us, and at last it fell light, and, being 
on a wind, we did not make more than four miles an 
hour, although there was very little sea. About one 
o’clock in the morning I had gone on deck and was 
walking to and fro with the first officer, Mr. James, when 
I thought that I heard a faint halloo from to windward. 

“ Stop,” said I ; “ silence there forward.” 

I listened, and thought that I heard the cry again. 
“Mr. James,” said I, “did you not hear some one 
shout ? ” 

“ No, sir,” replied he. 

“ Wait, then, and listen.” 

We did so, but could not hear it repeated. 

“ I am certain that I heard a voice as if on the waters,” 
said I. “ Perhaps some one has fallen overboard. Turn 
the hands up to muster, and haul the fore-sheet to wind- 
ward.” 

The men were mustered, but no one was missing. 

“ It was your fancy, sir,” observed the first officer. 

“ It may have been,” replied I ; “ but I am still in my 
own mind persuaded that such was the case. Perhaps I 
was mistaken.” 

“ Shall we let draw the fore-sheet, sir ? ” said Mr. 
James. 

“ Yes, we may as well ; but the wind is lighter than it 
was. I think we shall have a calm.” 

“ It will be as much as she can do to stem the tide and 
hold her own,” observed Mr. James. “Let draw the 
fore-sheet, my lads.” 


ii 6 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 


Somehow or another I had a feeling which I could not 
surmount, that I certainly had heard a faint shout ; and 
although, admitting such to be the case, there was little 
chance of being of service to any one, I felt a reluctance 
to leave the spot, and as I walked the deck silent and 
alone this feeling became insurmountable. 

I remained on deck till the tide turned, and then, 
instead of taking advantage of it so as to gain to the 
southward, I put the schooner’s head the other way, so 
as to keep as near as I could to the spot where I heard 
the voice, reducing her sail so as just to stem the tide. 
I can not now account for my anxiety, which, under the 
circumstances, I most certainly never should have felt, 
unless it was that Providence was pleased to interpose 
on this occasion more directly than usual. I could not 
leave the deck ; I waited for daylight with great impa- 
tience, and as the day dawned I had my telescope in my 
hand looking round the compass. 

At last, as the sun rose from the fog on the horizon, 
something attracted my eye, and I made it out to be the 
two masts of a vessel which had sunk in about six fath- 
oms of water. Still I could see nothing except the masts. 
However, to make sure, I made sail on the schooner, and 
stood toward them. A short tack enabled us to fetch, 
and in half an hour we passed the wreck about a half- 
musket-shot to windward, when we perceived an arm 
lifted up out of the water, and waved to us. 

“ There is somebody there,” said I, “ and I was right. 
Quickly, my lads ; fore-sheet to windward, and lower 
down the stern-boat.” 

This was done in a minute, and in a short time the 
boat returned, bringing with them a lad about sixteen 
years old, whom they had found in the water, clinging 
to the mast of the vessel. He was too much exhausted 
to speak or move. He was put into bed, covered up 
with blankets, and some warm spirits and water poured 
down his throat. We then hoisted up the boat, and 
made sail upon the schooner, and I went down below to 
breakfast, rejoicing that I had acted upon the impulse 
which I had felt, and had thus been instrumental in sav- 
ing the life of a fellow-creature. A few minutes after 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN, 


117 

he was put into bed the lad fell into a sound sleep, 
which continued during the whole of the day. The next 
morning he awoke greatly recovered, and very hungry, 
and as soon as he had eaten he rose and dressed himself. 

I then sent for him, as I was impatient to see him and 
learn his history. When he entered the cabin, it struck 
me I had seen his features before, but where I could not 
say. To my inquiries he stated that the brig was the 
Jane and Mary, of Hull, laden with coals ; that they had 
started a wooden end during the gale, and that she had 
filled so rapidly that they got the boat from off the boom 
to save their lives, but from the heavy sea running, and 
the confusion, the boat had been bilged against the bul- 
warks, and went down as they were shoving off ; that he 
had supported himself by one of the oars, and was soon 
separated from his companions who floated around him ; 
that during this time the brig had sunk, and he, clinging 
to the oar, had been drawn toward her as she sank, and 
carried some feet under water. On his rising he per- 
ceived the top-gallant masts above water, and had made 
for them, and on looking round he could not see any of 
the rest of the crew, who must all have perished ; that 
he had been two days on the mast, and was perished with 
cold. Finding that his feet, which hung down on the 
water, were much warmer than the other portions of his 
body exposed to the wind, he had sunk himself down in 
the water, and remained there, and had he not done so 
he must have perished. 

I asked him how long he had been at sea, and he said 
he had only gone one voyage, and had been but three 
months on board. There was something in his manner 
so superior to the condition of apprentice (which he 
stated himself to be) on board of such a vessel, and I 
felt such an interest, which I could not account for, 
toward the lad, that I then asked who were his friends. 
He replied, stammering, that he had not a friend in the 
world except a brother older than himself by many years, 
and he did not know where he was. 

“ But your father’s name ? Is he alive, and who is he ? 
You must tell me that, or I shall not know where to send 
you.” 


Il8 THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 

The youth was very confused, and would not give me 
any answer. 

“ Come, my lad,” I said, “ I think as I have saved 
your life I deserve a little confidence, and it shall not be 
misplaced. I perceive that you have not been brought 
up as a lad for the sea, and you must therefore trust me.” 

“ I will, sir,” he replied, “ if you will not send me 
back to my father and — mother.” 

“ Certainly not against your will, my good lad,” I 
replied, “ although I shall probably persuade you all I 
can to return to them. I presume you ran away from 
your home ? ” 

“Yes, sir, I did,” replied he; “for I could not pos- 
sibly stay there any longer, and my brother did so before 
me, for the same reason that I did.” 

“ Well, I promise you, if you will confide in me, that I 
will not force your inclinations ; so now tell me who are 
your father and mother, and why you left home. You 
want a friend now, and without confidence you can not 
expect friendship.” 

“ I will tell you all, sir,” he replied, “ for I see by 
your face that you will not take advantage of me.” 

He then commenced, and you may imagine my sur- 
prise, my dear Madam, when I found that it was my own 
brother Philip, whom I had left a child of ten years old, 
who was addressing me. He had, as he had asserted, 
left his home and thrown himself on the wide world for 
the same reason which I had ; for his spirit, like mine, 
could not brook the treatment which he received. I 
allowed him to finish his narrative, and then made my- 
self known to him. 

You may imagine the scene, and the delight of the 
poor fellow, who, as he encircled me in his arms, clinging 
to me with the tears of joy on his cheeks, told me that 
his great object had been to find me out, and that, 
although he had no idea what had become of me, he 
thought it most likely that I had taken to a seafaring life. 

I now felt certain that Providence had specially inter- 
posed in this business, and had, for its own good reasons, 
created those unusual feelings of interest which I 
described to you, that I might be the saviour of my 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 1 19 

brother ; and most grateful was I, I can assure you. I 
had now a companion and friend, one to love and cherish. 
I was no longer alone in the world, and I do not know 
when I had felt so happy for a long while. 

I left my brother below in the cabin, and went on deck 
to acquaint the officers with this strange meeting. The 
intelligence soon ran through the vessel, and of course 
the poor shipwrecked boy became an object of unusual 
interest. That whole day I was interrogating and 
receiving intelligence from him relative to our family. 
I made him describe his sister and every member of it, 
even the servants and our neighbors were not forgotten, 
and for the first time since I had quitted home, I knew 
what had occurred during the six years of my absence. 
From the accounts he gave me, I certainly had no incli- 
nation ever to return as long as certain parties were in 
existence : and my brother declared that nothing but 
force should ever induce him. The more I talked with 
him, the more I was pleased with him. He appeared of 
a frank, noble disposition, full of honor and high senti- 
ments, winning in his manners, and mirthful to excess. 
Indeed, his handsome countenance implied and expressed 
as much, and it did not deceive. 

I hardly need say that he took up his quarters in my 
cabin, and, having procured for him more suitable 
apparel, he looked what he was, — the perfect young 
gentleman. He was soon a general favorite on board, 
not only with the officers but with the men. One would 
have thought that the danger and distress we had found 
him in would have sickened him for the sea forever ; but 
it was quite the contrary. He delighted in his pro- 
fession, and was certainly born to be a sailor. I asked 
him what he felt when he had remained so long clinging 
to the mast ; if he had not given up all hopes of being 
saved ? and he replied no, that he had not ; that he did 
not know how long he might have had to remain there, 
but that he had never abandoned the idea of being taken 
off by some vessel or another, and that he thought that 
he might have continued there for twenty-four hours 
longer without being exhausted, as after he had sunk 
himself into the water he felt warm, and no exertion was 


120 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 


necessary. It is of such buoyant spirits as these, 
Madam, that seamen should be made. 

You can not have an idea of the pleasure which I ex- 
perienced at this falling in with my brother Philip. It 
appeared to have given a new stimulus to my existence ; 
even privateering did not appear so hateful to me after 
I had heard him express his delight at being likely to be 
so employed, for such he stated had long been his ardent 
wish. Two days afterward we had regained our cruis- 
ing-ground, and perceived a French privateer steering 
for the port of Calais, in company with a large merchant 
vessel which she had captured. The wind was light, 
and we discovered her at daybreak, just as the fog 
cleared away, she being then about mid-channel, and 
not more than five miles distant. We made all sail, 
and soon were in gun-shot. The Frenchman appeared 
determined not to part with his prize without a trial of 
strength, but as the captured vessel was the nearest to us, I 
decided to retake her first, and then fight him if he wished. 
I therefore steered to lay the prize by the board. The 
Frenchman, a lugger of twelve guns, perceiving our inten- 
tion, made also for the prize to defend her, he steering up 
for her close-hauled, we running down to her free, the 
prize lying between us, and sheltering each of us from 
the other’s guns. It is difficult to say whether the 
Frenchman or we were the first to touch her sides with 
our respective vessels : I rather think that the French- 
man was a second or two before us. At all events they 
were quicker than we were, and were on the deck first, 
besides having the advantage of the assistance of their 
men already on board, so that we were taken at a great 
disadvantage. However, we did gain the deck by board- 
ing at two points, forward and aft, and a fierce contest 
ensued. The French were more numerous than we were, 
but my men were better selected, being all very powerful, 
athletic fellows. Philip had boarded with the other party 
forward, which was led by my chief officer. My party, 
who were abaft, not being so numerous, were beaten 
back to the taffrail of the vessel, where we stood at bay, 
defending ourselves against the furious assaults of the 
Frenchmen. But if we lost, the other party gained, for 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 


1 2 1 


the whole body of the Frenchmen were between us and 
them, and those who faced Philip’s party were driven 
back to abaft the mainmast. It so happened that Philip 
was thrown down on the deck, and his men passed over 
him ; and while in that position, and unable to rise from 
the pressure upon him, he heard a calling out from 
below : this told him that the English prisoners were in 
the hold ; and as soon as he could rise he threw off the 
hatches, and they rushed up, to the number of twenty- 
three stout fellows, to our support, cheering most man- 
fully, and by their cheers announcing to the French that 
we had received assistance. This gave fresh courage to 
my men, who were hard pressed and faint with their 
great exertion. We cheered and rushed upon the enemy, 
who were already weakened by many of them having 
turned round to resist the increased impetus from for- 
ward. Our cheers were replied to by Philip’s party and 
the prisoners, and the French were losing the day. 
They made another desperate rush upon Philip’s men, 
and succeeded in driving them back to before the main- 
hatches ; but what they gained forward, they lost abaft, 
as we pushed on with vigor. This was their last attempt. 
The main-hatch being open, several of them in the con- 
fusion fell into it, others followed them of their own 
accord, and at last every one of them was beaten down 
from the deck, and the hatches were put over them, with 
three cheers. 

“ Now for the privateer — she is our own,” cried Philip ; 
“ follow me, my men,” continued he, as he sprang upon 
the bulwarks of the prize, and from thence into the main 
rigging of the lugger alongside. 

Most of my men followed him ; and as there were but 
few men left on board of the lugger, she was soon in our 
possession, and thus we had both the enemy and the 
prize without firing a cannon-shot. It was strange that 
this combat between two privateers should thus be 
decided upon the deck of another vessel, but such was 
the fact. We had several men badly wounded, but not 
one killed. The French were not quite so fortunate, as 
seven of their men lay dead upon the decks. The prize 
proved to be the Antelope West-Indiaman, laden with 


122 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 


sugar and rum, and of considerable value. We gave her 
up to the captain and crew, who had afforded us such 
timely assistance, and they were not a little pleased at 
being thus rescued from a French prison. The privateer 
was named the Jean Bart, of twelve guns, and one hund- 
red and fifteen men, some away in prizes. She was a 
new vessel, and this her first cruise. As it required 
many men to man her, and as we had the prisoners to 
encumber us, I resolved that I would take her to Liver- 
pool at once ; and six days afterward we arrived there 
without further adventure. Philip’s gallant conduct had 
won him great favor with my officers and men, and I 
must say that I felt very proud of him. 

As soon as we had anchored both vessels, I went on 
shore with Philip to Mr. Trevannion to give him an 
account of what had occurred during the short cruise, 
and I hardly need say that he was satisfied with the 
results, as we had made three recaptures of value besides 
a privateer. I introduced Philip to him, acquainting 
him with his miraculous preservation, and Mr. Trevan- 
nion very kindly invited him for the present to remain in 
his house. We then took our leave, promising to be back 
by dinner-time, and I went with Philip to fit him out in a 
more creditable way ; and having made my purchases 
and given my orders (it being then almost two o’clock 
post meridiem ,) we hastened to. Mr. Trevannion’s, that we 
might be in time for dinner. I was, I must confess, 
anxious to see Miss Trevannion, for she had often occu- 
pied my thoughts during the cruise. She met me with 
great friendliness and welcomed me back. Our dinner 
was very agreeable, and Philip’s sallies were much 
approved of. He was, indeed, a mirthful, witty lad, full 
of jest and humor, and with a good presence withal. 
Mr. Trevannion being called out just as dinner was fin- 
ished, Miss Trevannion observed — 

“ I presume, Mr. Elrington, that your good fortune 
and the reputation you have acquired in so short a time, 
have put an end to all your misgivings as to a privateers- 
man’s life ? ” 

“ I am not quite so light and inconstant, Miss Tre- 
vannion,” replied I ; “ I rejoice that in this cruise I have 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 


2 3 


really nothing to lament or blush for, and trust at the 
same time we have been serviceable to our country ; but 
my opinion is the same, and I certainly wish that 1 had 
fought under the king’s pennant instead of on board of a 
privateer.” 

“ You are, then, of the same mind, and intend to resign 
the command ? ” 

“Ido, Miss Trevannion, although I admit that this 
lad’s welfare makes it more important than ever that I 
should have some means of livelihood.” 

“ I rejoice to hear you speak thus, Mr. Elrington, and 
I think my father’s obligations to you are such, that if he 
does not assist you, I should feel ashamed* of him — but 
such I am certain will not be the case. He will forward 
your views, whatever they may be, to the utmost of his 
power — at the same time, I admit, from conversations I 
have had with him, that he will be mortified at your 
resigning the command.” 

“ And so shall I,” said Philip, “ for I do not agree 
with you or my brother : I see no harm in privateering 
than in any other fighting. I suppose, Miss Trevannion, 
you have been the cause of my brother’s scruples, and I 
tell you candidly to your face, that I do not thank you 
for it.” 

Miss Trevannion colored up at this remark, and then 
replied, “ I do not think, Mr. Philip, that I have had the 
pleasure of seeing your brother more than three times in 
my life, and that within this last six weeks, and sure I 
am that we have not had a quarter of an hour’s conver- 
sation altogether. It is, therefore, assuredly, too much 
to say that I am the cause, and your brother will tell 
you that he expressed these opinions before I ever had 
had any conversation with him.” 

“ That may be,” replied Philip, “ but you approved of 
his sentiments, and that concluded the business, I am 
sure, and I don’t wonder at it. I only hope that you 
won’t ask me to do any thing I do not wish to do ; for I 
am sure that I could never refuse you any thing.” 

“ I am glad to hear you say so, Mr. Philip ; for if I 
see you do that which I think wrong, I shall certainly 
try my influence over you,” replied Miss Trevannion, 


124 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 


smiling. “ I really was not aware that I had such 
power.” 

Here Mr. Trevannion came in again, and the conver- 
sation was changed ; and shortly afterward Miss Tre- 
vannion left the room. Philip, who was tired of sitting 
while Mr. Trevannion and I took our pipes, and who 
was anxious to see the town, also left us ; and I then 
stated to Mr. Trevannion that having now completed 
the cruise which I had agreed that I would, I wished to 
know whether he had provided himself with another 
captain. 

“ As you appear so determined, my dear Elrington, I 
will only say that I am very sorry, and will not urge the 
matter any longer. My daughter told me since your 
absence that she was certain you would adhere to your 
resolution ; and, although I hoped the contrary, yet I 
have been considering in which way I can serve you. It 
is not only my pleasure but my duty so to do ; I have not 
forgotten, and never will forget, that you in all proba- 
bility saved my life by your self-devotion in the affair of 
the Jacobites. When you first came to me, you were 
recommended as a good accountant, and, to a certain 
degree, a man of business ; and, at all events, proved 
yourself well acquainted and apt at figures. Do you 
think that a situation on shore would suit you ? ” 

“ I should endeavor to give satisfaction, sir,” I re- 
plied ; “ but I fear that I should have much to learn.” 

41 Of course you would ; but I reply that you would 
soon learn. Now, Elrington, what I have to say to you 
is this : I am getting old, and in a few years shall be 
past work ; and I think I should like you as an assist- 
ant for the present, and a successor hereafter. If you 
would like to join me, you shall superintend the more 
active portion of the business ; and I have no doubt but 
that in a year or two you will be master of the whole. 
As you know, I have privateers and I have merchant 
vessels, and I keep my storehouses. I have done well 
up to the present ; not so well, perhaps, now, as I did 
when I had slave-vessels, which were more profitable ; 
but my deceased wife persuaded me to give up that 
traffic, and I have not resumed it, in honor of her mem- 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 1 25 

ory. These foolish women should never interfere in 
such matters ; but let that pass. What I have to say is, 
that if you choose after a year to join me as a partner, I 
will give you an eighth of the business, and as we con- 
tinue I will make over a further share in proportion to 
the profits ; and I will make such arrangements as to 
enable you at my death to take the whole concern upon 
favorable terms.” 

Mr. Trevannion knocked the ashes out of his pipe, 
and, as he concluded, — 

“ I am,” I replied, ‘‘as you may imagine, sir, much 
gratified and honored at your proposal, which I hardly 
need say that I willingly accept. I only hope you will 
make allowance for my ignorance at first setting off, and 
not ascribe to any other cause my imperfections. You 
may assure yourself that good-will shall never be want- 
ing on my part, and I shall work day and night, if re- 
quired, to prove my gratitude for so kind an offer.” 

“Then, it is settled,” said Mr. Trevannion; “but 
what are we to do with your brother Philip ? ” 

“ He thinks for himself, sir, and does not agree with 
me on the question in point. Of course, I have no right 
to insist that my scruples should be his ; indeed, I fear 
that I should have little chance in persuading him, as 
he is so fond of a life of adventure. It is natural in one 
so young. Age will sober him.” 

“ Then you have no objection to his going on board 
of a privateer ? ” 

“ I would rather that he was in any other service, sir ; 
but as I can not control him I must submit, if he insists 
upon following that profession. He is a gallant, clever 
boy, and as soon as I can, I will try to procure him a 
situation in a king’s ship. At present he must go to sea 
in some way or other, and it were, perhaps, better that 
he should be in good hands (such as Captain Levee’s 
for instance) on board of a privateer, than mix up with 
those who might demoralize him more.” 

“ Well, then, he shall have his choice,” replied Mr. 
Trevannion. “ He is a smart lad, and will do you credit 
wherever he may be.” 

“ If I may take the liberty to advise, sir,” replied I, 


126 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 


“ I think you could not do better than to give the com- 
mand of the Sparrow-hawk to the chief officer, Mr. 
James ; he is a good seaman and a brave man, and I 
have no doubt will acquit himself to your satisfaction.” 

“ I was thinking the same ; and as you recommend 
him he shall take your place. Now, as all this is settled, 
you may as well go on board and make known that you 
have resigned the command. Tell Mr. James that he is 
to take your place. Bring your clothes on shore, and 
you will find apartments ready for you on your return, 
for in future you will of course consider this house as 
your residence. I assure you that, now that you do not 
leave me, I am almost glad that the affair is arranged as 
it is. I wanted assistance, that is the fact, and I hold 
myself fortunate that you are the party who has been 
selected. We shall meet in the evening.” 

Mr. Trevannion then went away in the direction of 
his daughter’s room instead of the counting-house as 
usual, and I quitted the house. I did not go immedi- 
ately down to the wharf to embark. I wanted to have a 
short time for reflection, for I was much overpowered 
with Mr. Trevannion’s kindness, and the happy pros- 
pects before me. I walked out into the country for 
some distance, deep in my own reflections, and I must 
say that Miss Trevannion was too often interfering with 
my train of thought. 

I had of course no fixed ideas, but I more than once 
was weighing in my mind whether I should not make 
known to them who I was, and how superior in birth to 
what they imagined. After an hour passed in building 
castles, I retraced my steps, passed through the town, 
and going down to the wharf, waved my handkerchief 
for a boat, and was soon on board. I then summoned 
the officers and men, told them that I had resigned the 
command of the vessel, and that in future they were to 
consider Mr. James as their captain. I packed up my 
clothes, leaving many articles for my successor which 
were no longer of any use to me, but which he would 
have been compelled to replace. 

Philip I found was down in the cabin, and with him I 
had a long conversation. He stated his wish to remain 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 


I27 


at sea, saying that he preferred a privateer to a merchant 
vessel, and a king’s ship to a privateer. Not being old 
enough, or sufficient time at sea to be eligible for a king’s 
ship, I agreed that he should sail with Captain Levee, as 
soon as he came back from his cruise. He had already 
sent in a good prize. As soon as my clothes and other 
articles were put into the boat, I wished them all fare- 
well, and was cheered by the men as I pulled on shore. 

My effects were taken up to Mr. Trevannion’s house 
by the seamen, to whom I gave a gratuity, and I 
was met by Mr. Trevannion, who showed me into 
a large and well-furnished bedroom, which he told 
me was in future to be considered as my own. 
I passed away the afternoon in arranging my 
clothes, and did not go down to the parlor till sup- 
per-time, where I found Miss Trevannion, who congratu- 
lated me upon my having changed my occupation 
to one more worthy of me. I made a suitable reply, and 
we sat down to supper. Having described this first great 
event in my life, I shall for the present conclude. 


CHAPTER XIII. 

After staying a year with him, Mr. Trevannion proposes to take me 
into Partnership, but I decline the offer from conscientious 
motives — Miss Trevannion treats me with unmerited coldness — 
This and her Father’s anger make me resolve to quit the House 
— What I overhear and see before my departure— The Ring. 

You may now behold me in a very different posi- 
tion, my dear Madam ; instead of the laced hat and 
hanger at my side, imagine me in a plain suit of gray with 
black buttons, and a pen behind my ear ; instead of 
walking the deck and balancing to the motion of the ves- 
sel, I am now perched immovably upon a high stool ; in- 
stead of sweeping the horizon with my telescope, or 
watching the straining and bending of the spars aloft, I 
am now with my eyes incessantly fixed upon the ledger 
or day-book, absorbed in calculation. You may inquire 


128 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 


how I liked the change. At first, I must confess, not 
over-much, and, notwithstanding my dislike to the life of 
a privateersman, I often sighed heavily, and wished that 
I were an officer in the king’s service. The change from 
a life of activity to one of sedentary habits was too sud- 
den, and I often found myself, with my eyes still fixed 
upon the figures before me, absorbed in a sort of castle- 
building reverie, in which I was boarding or chasing the 
enemy, handling my cutlass, and sometimes so moved by 
my imagination as to brandish my arm over my head, 
when an exclamation of surprise from one of the clerks 
would remind me of my folly, and, angry with myself, I 
would once more resume my pen. But after a time I 
had more command over myself, and could sit steadily at 
my work. Mr. Trevannion had often observed how 
absent I was, and it was a source of amusement to him ; 
when we met at dinner, his daughter would say, “ So I 
hear you had another sea-fight this morning, Mr. Elring- 
ton ; ” and her father would laugh heartily as he gave a 
description of my ridiculous conduct. 

I very soon, with the kind assistance of Mr. Trevan- 
nion, became master of my work, and gave him satis- 
faction. My chief employment consisted in writing the 
letters to correspondents. At first I only copied Mr. 
Trevannion’s letters in his private letter-book ; but as I 
became aware of the nature of the correspondence, and 
what was necessary to be detailed, I then made a rough 
copy of the letters, and submitted them to Mr. Trevan- 
nion for his approval. At first there were a few altera- 
tions made, afterward I wrote them fairly out, and almost 
invariably they gave satisfaction, or, if any thing was 
added, it was in a postscript. Mr. Trevannion’s affairs, 
I found, were much more extensive than I had imagined. 
He had the two privateers, two vessels on the coast of 
Africa trading for ivory and gold-dust and other articles, 
two or three vessels employed in trading to Virginia for 
tobacco and other produce, and some smaller vessels en- 
gaged in Newfoundland fisheries, which, when they had 
taken in their cargo, ran to the Mediterranean to dispose 
of it and returned with Mediterranean produce to Liver- 
pool. That he was a very wealthy man, independent of 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 


I29 


his large stakes upon the seas, was certain. He had lent 
much money to the guild of Liverpool, and had some 
tenanted properties in the county ; but of them I knew 
nothing, except from the payment of the rents. What 
surprised me much was, that a man of Mr. Trevannion’s 
wealth, having but one child to provide for, should not 
retire from business — and I once made the remark to his 
daughter. Her reply was : “ I thought as you do once, 

but now I think differently. When I have been on a visit 
with my father, and he has staid away for several weeks, 
you have no idea how restless and uneasy he has become 
from want of occupation. It has become his habit, and 
habit is second nature. It is not from a wish to accumu- 
late that he continues at the counting-house, but because 
he can not be happy without employment. I, therefore, 
do not any longer persuade him to leave off, as I am con- 
vinced that it would be persuading him to be unhappy. 
Until you came, I think the fatigue was too great for 
him ; but you have, as he apprises me, relieved him of 
the heaviest portion of the labor, and I hardly need say 
that I am rejoiced that you have so done.” 

“ It certainly is not that he requires to make money, 
Miss Trevannion ; and, as he is so liberal in every thing, 
I must credit what you assert, that it is the dislike to 
having no employment which induces him to continue in 
business. It has not yet become such a habit in me,” 
continued I, smiling ; “ I think I could leave it off with 
great pleasure. ” 

“ But is not that because you have not yet recovered 
from your former habits, which were so at variance with 
a quiet and a sedentary life ? ” replied she. 

“ I fear it is so,” said I, “ and I believe, of all habits, 
those of a vagrant are the most difficult to overcome. 
You used to laugh at me the first few months that I was 
here. I presume that I am a little improved, as I have 
not been attacked lately ? ” 

“ My father says so, and is much pleased with you, 
Mr. Elrington, if my telling you so gives you any satis- 
faction.” 

“ Certainly it does, because I wish to please him.” 

“ And me, too, I hope ? ” 


130 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 


“Yes, most truly, Miss Trevannion ; I only wish I had 
it in my power to show how much I study your good 
opinion.” 

“ Will you risk my father’s displeasure for it ? ” replied 
she, looking at me fixedly. 

“Yes, I will, provided — ” 

“ Oh ! there is a proviso already.” 

“ I grant that there should not have been any, as I am 
sure that you would not ask me to do any thing which is 
wrong. And my proviso was, that I did not undertake 
what my conscience did not approve.” 

“ Your proviso was good, Mr. Elrington, for when a 
woman would persuade, a man should be particularly 
guarded that he is not led into error by a rash promise. 
I think, however, that we are both agreed upon the point. 
I will therefore come at once to what I wish you to do. 
It is the intention of my father, in the course of a few 
days, when you shall have accomplished your year 
of service, to offer to take you into partnership ; and I 
am certain it will be on liberal terms. Now I wish you 
to refuse his offer unless he gives up privateering.” 

“ I will do so at all risks, and I am truly glad that I 
have your encouragement for taking such a bold 
step.” 

“ I tell you frankly that he will be very indignant. 
There is an excitement about the privateering which 
has become almost necessary to him, and he cares little 
about the remainder of his speculations. He is so 
blind to the immorality to which it leads, that he does 
not think it is an unlawful pursuit ; if he did, I am sure 
that he would abandon it. All my persuasion has been 
useless.” 

“ And if a favorite and only daughter can not prevail, 
what chance have I, Miss Trevannion ? ” 

“ A better chance, Mr. Elrington ; he is partial to me, 
but I am a woman, and he looks upon my observations 
as a woman’s weakness. The objections raised by a 
man, a young man, and one who has so long been actively 
engaged in the service, will therefore, carry more weight ; 
besides, he has now become so accustomed to you, and 
has had so much trouble taken off his hands, and, at the 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 


131 

same time, has such implicit confidence in you, that I do 
not think, if he finds that he has to choose between your 
leaving him and his leaving off privateering, he will 
hesitate in relinquishing the latter. You have, moreover, 
great weight with him, Mr. Elrington ; my father is fully 
aware of the deep obligation he is under to your courage 
and self-devotion in the affair of the Jacobite refugees. 
You will, therefore, succeed, if you are firm ; and, if you 
do succeed, you will have my gratitude, if that is of any 
importance to you ; my friendship you know you have 
already.” 

The entrance of Mr. Trevannion prevented my 
reply. We had been waiting for his return from a walk, 
and dinner had been ready some time. “ I have just 
seen some of the men of the Arrow,” said Mr. Trevan- 
nion, taking off his hat and spencer, “ and that detained 

_ M 

me. 

“ Has Captain Levee arrived, then, sir ? ” said I. 

“ No ; but he has sent in a prize — of no great value — 
laden with light wares. The men in charge tell me he 
has had a rough affair with a vessel armed en flute , and 
that he has lost some men. Your brother Philip, as 
usual, is wounded.” 

I should here observe, that during the year which 
had passed away the two privateers had been several 
times in port — they had met with moderate success, 
barely sufficient to pay their expenses ; my brother Philip 
had always conducted himself very gallantly, and had 
been twice wounded in different engagements. 

“ Well, sir,” replied I, “ I do not think the loss of 
a little blood will do any harm to such a hot-headed 
youth as Master Philip ; but I hope in a short time to 
give him an opportunity of shedding it in the service of 
the king, instead of in the pursuit of money. Indeed,” 
continued I, as I sat down to table, “ the enemy are 
now so cautious, or have so few vessels on the high 
seas, that I fear your privateering account current will 
not be very favorable, when balanced, as it will be in 
a few days, notwithstanding this cargo of wares just 
arrived.” 

“ Then we must hope better for next year,” replied 


132 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 


Mr. Trevannion. “ Amy, my dear, have you been out 
to-day ? ” 

“ Yes, sir ; I was riding for two hours.” 

“ Have they altered your pillion yet ? ” 

“ Yes, sir ; it came home last night, and it is now very 
comfortable.” 

“ I called at Mrs. Carleton’s, who is much better. 
What a fop that Mr. Carleton is — I don’t know what 
scented powder he uses, but it perfumed the whole room. 
Had not Mrs. Carleton been such an invalid, I should 
have opened the window.” 

Mr. Trevannion then turned the conversation to 
some political intelligence which he had just received, 
and this engaged us till the dinner was over, and I re- 
turned to the counting-house, where I found the man 
who had brought in the prize, and who gave me a letter 
from Philip, stating that his wound was of no conse- 
quence. 

The communication of Mr. Trevannion took place, as 
his daughter had assured me it would, on the anniversary 
of my entering into Mr. Trevannion’s counting-house. 
After dinner, as we, as usual, were smoking our pipes, 
Mr. Trevannion said : “ Elrington, you have been with 
me now one year, and during that time you have made 
yourself fully master of your business ; — much to my 
surprise, I acknowledge, but still more to my satis- 
faction. That I have every reason to be satisfied with 
you, you may imagine, when I tell you that it is now my 
intention to take you into partnership, and I trust by so 
doing that you will soon be an independent man. You 
know the capital in the business as well as I do. I did 
say an eighth, but I now propose to make over to you 
one-fourth, and to allow your profits of every year (deduct- 
ing your necessary expenses) to be invested in the busi- 
ness, until you have acquired a right to one half. Of future 
arrangements we will speak hereafter.” 

“ Mr. Trevannion,” replied I, “ that I am truly grateful 
for such unexpected liberality I hardly need say, and you 
have my best thanks for your noble offer ; but I have 
scruples which, I must confess, I can not get over.” 

“ Scruples ! ” exclaimed Mr. Trevannion, laying down 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 


133 


his pipe on the table. “ Oh ! I see now,” continued he, 
after a pause ; “ you think I am robbing my daughter. 
No, no, the laborer is worthy of his hire, and she will 
have more than sufficient. You carry your conscientious- 
ness too far, my dear fellow ; I have more than enough 
for Amy, out of the business altogether.” 

“ I am aware of that, sir,” added I, “and I did not, 
therefore, refer to your daughter when I said that I had 
scruples. I must be candid with you, sir. How is it 
that I am now in your employ ? ” 

“ Why, because you had a dislike to privateering, and 
I had a debt of gratitude to pay.” 

“ Exactly, sir ; but whether you had been pleased to 
employ me or not, I had made up my mind, as you well 
know, from conscientious motives, not to continue on 
board of a privateer.” 

“ Well, I grant that.” 

“The same motives, sir, will not allow me to be a 
sharer in the profits arising from such sources. I should 
consider myself equally wrong if I did so, as if I remained 
on board. Do not be angry with me, sir,” continued I ; 
“if I, with many thanks, decline your offer of being 
your partner, I will faithfully serve you upon any salary 
which you may consider I may merit, and trust in your 
liberality in every thing.” 

Mr. Trevannion made no reply ; he had resumed his 
pipe, and continued to smoke it, with his eyes fixed 
upon the mantle-piece. As soon as his pipe was out, he 
rose, put on his hat, and walked out of the room, without 
making any further observation. I waited a few minutes, 
and then went back to the counting-house. 

That Mr. Trevannion was seriously offended I was 
convinced ; but I valued the good opinion of his daugh- 
ter more than I did that of Mr. Trevannion ; indeed, my 
feelings toward her had, during the year I had been in 
the house, gradually become of that nature that they 
threatened much my peace of mind. I can not say that I 
loved her in the usual acceptation of the term, — adoration 
would better express what I felt. She was so pure, so 
perfect, such a model of female perfection, that I looked 
up to her with a reverence which almost quelled any feeh 


134 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 


in g of love. I felt that she was above me, and that, with 
her wealth, it would be madness for one in my present 
position to aspire to her. Yet with this feeling I would 
have sacrificed all my hopes and present advantages to 
have obtained her approving smiles. It is not, therefore, 
to be wondered at that I risked Mr. Trevannion’s dis- 
pleasure to gain her approbation ; and when I resumed 
my seat at my desk, and thought of what had passed, I 
made up my mind to be once more an outcast in the 
world rather than swerve from the promise which I had 
made to her. I knew Mr. Trevannion to be a very 
decided man, and hasty when offended. That he was 
seriously offended with me there was no doubt. I found 
that he had quitted the house immediately after he had 
left the room. I had hoped that he had gone to his 
daughter’s apartments, and that a conversation with her 
might have produced a good effect ; but such was not 
the case. 

In about half an hour Mr. Trevannion returned, and 
as he walked into the back room adjoining the counting- 
house, he desired me to follow him. I did so. “ Mr. 
Elrington,” said he, sitting down, and leaving me stand- 
ing at the table, “ I fear, after what has passed, that we 
shall not continue on good terms. You have reproached 
me, an old man, with carrying on an unlawful business ; 
in short, in raising your own scruples and talking of your 
own conscience, you have implied that I am acting con- 
trary to what conscience should dictate. In short, you 
have told me, by implication, that I am not an honest 
man. You have thrown back in my face my liberal offer. 
My wish to oblige you has been treated not only with 
indifference, but I may add with contumely ; — and that 
merely because you have formed some absurd notions of 
right and wrong in which you will find no one to agree 
with you, except, perhaps, priests and women. I wish 
you well, Mr. Elrington, nevertheless. I am truly sorry 
for your infatuation, and wished to have served you, but 
you will not be assisted by me.” 

Here Mr. Trevannion paused, but I made no reply. 
After a time, wiping the perspiration from his forehead 
with his handkerchief, for he evidently was in a state of 
great excitement, he continued : 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 


135 


“ As you do not choose to join me from conscientious 
scruples, I can not but imagine that you do not like to 
serve me from similar motives, for I see little difference 
betweeen the two (and here, Madam, there was some 
force in his observation, but it never occurred to me 
before) ; at all events, without weighing your scruples so 
exactly as to know how far they may or may not extend, 
I feel that we are not likely to go on pleasantly together. 
I shall always think that I am reproached by you when 
any thing is said connected with the privateers, and you 
may have twinges of conscience which may be disagree- 
able to you. Let us, therefore, part quietly. For your 
services up to the present, and to assist you in any other 
engagements you may enter on, take this — ” 

Mr. Trevannion opened a lower drawer of the table, 
and put before me a bag containing, as I afterward dis- 
covered, 250 gold jacobuses. 

“ I wish you well, Mr. Elrington, but I sincerely wish 
we had never met.” 

Mr. Trevannion then rose abruptly, and, before I could 
make my reply, brushed past me, went out at the door, 
and again walked away at a rapid pace down the street. 
I remained where I stood ; my eyes had followed him as 
he went away. I was completely surprised. I antici- 
pated much anger, much altercation ; but I never had an 
idea that he would be so unjust as to throw off in this 
way one who for his sake had gone through a heavy trial 
and come out with honor. My heart was full of bitter- 
ness. • I felt that Mr. Trevannion had treated me with 
harshness and ingratitude. 

“Alas ! ” thought I, “such is the world, and such will 
ever be the case with such imperfect beings as we are. 
How vain to expect any thing like consistency, much less 
perfection, in our erring natures ! Hurt but the self-love 
of a man, wound his vanity, and all obligations are for- 
gotten.” 

I turned away from the bag of money, which I was 
resolved not to accept, although I had not at the time 
twenty guineas at my disposal. It was now within half 
an hour of dark ; I collected all my books, put some in 
the iron safe, others as usual in my desk, and having 


136 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 


arranged every thing as completely as I could, I locked 
the safe, and inclosed the keys in a parcel, which I 
sealed. Putting Mr. Trevannion’s name on the outside, 
I laid the parcel on the table in the room where we had 
had our conference, by the side of the bag of money. 

It was now dark, or nearly so, and leaving the confi- 
dential porter, as usual, to shut up the house, I went up 
to the sitting-room with the expectation of seeing Miss 
Trevannion, and bidding her farewell. I was not disap- 
pointed ; I found her at her netting, having just lighted 
the lamp which hung over the table. 

“ Miss Trevannion," said I, “advancing respectfully 
toward her, “ I have fulfilled my promise, and I have 
received my reward ” — she looked up at me — “ which is, 
I am dismissed from this house and your presence for- 
ever.” 

“ I trust,” said she, after a pause, “ that you have not 
exceeded my wishes. It appears to me so strange, that 
I must think that such is the case. My father never 
could have dismissed you in this way for merely express- 
ing an opinion, Mr. Elrington. You must have gone too 
far.” 

“ Miss Trevannion, when you meet your father, you 
can then ascertain whether I have been guilty of intem- 
perance or rudeness, or a proper want of respect in 
making the communication — which I did in exactly the 
manner you yourself proposed, and my reward has been 
such as I state.” 

“You have abetter reward, Mr. Elrington, if what you 
assert is really correct ; you have the reward of having 
done your duty ; but I can not imagine that your dismissal 
has arisen from the mere expression of an opinion. You’ll 
excuse me, Mr. Elrington, that, as a daughter, I can not, 
in justice to a much respected father, believe that such is 
the case.” 

This was said in so cold a manner, that I was nettled 
to the highest degree. Miss Trevannion had promised 
me her gratitude, instead of which I felt that she was 
doubting my word, and, as it were, taking the side of her 
father against me. And this was the return from her. 
I could have upbraided her, and told her what I felt ; 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 


137 


namely, that she had taken advantage of my feelings 
toward her to make me a cat’s-paw to obtain her end with 
her father ; and that now, having failed, I was left to my 
fate, without even commiseration ; but she looked so 
calm, so grave, and so beautiful, that I could not do it. 
I commanded my wounded feelings, and replied : 

“ Since I have the misfortune to meet the displeasure 
of the daughter as well as of the father, Miss Trevannion, 
I have not another word to say, but farewell, and may 
you prosper.” 

My voice faltered as I said the last words, and, bowing 
to her, I quitted the room. Miss Trevannion did not 
even say farewell to me, but I thought that her lips 
appeared to move, as quitting the room I took my last 
look upon her beautiful face. I shut the door after me, 
and, overpowered by my feelings, I sank upon a settee in 
the ante-room, in a state of giddy stupor. I know not 
how long I remained there, for my head turned and my 
senses reeled ; but I was aroused from it by the heavy 
tread of Mr. Trevannion, who came along the corridor 
without a light, and not perceiving me opened the door 
of the sitting-room where his daughter still remained. 
He threw the door to after he had entered, but it did not 
quite close, leaving a narrow stream of light through the 
ante-room. 

“Father,” said Miss Trevannion in my hearing, “you 
look warm and excited.” 

“ I have reason to be so,” replied Mr. Trevannion, 
abruptly. 

“ I have heard from Mr. Elrington the cause of it,” 
replied Miss Trevannion ; “that is, I have heard his ver- 
sion of it. I am glad you have come back, as I am most 
anxious to hear yours. What has Mr. Elrington said or 
done to cause such irritation and his dismissal ? ” 

“ He has behaved with insolence and ingratitude,” 
replied Mr. Trevannion ; “ I offered him partnership and 
he refused, unless I would give up privateering.” 

“ So he stated ; but in what manner was he insolent to 
you ? ” 

“ Insolent ! — told me that he acted from conscientious 
motives, which was as much as to say that I did not.” 


138 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 


“ Was his language very offensive ? ” 

“ No, not his language — that was respectful enough ; 
but it was the very respect which made it insolent. So 
I told him that as he could not from scruples of con- 
science, join me in privateering, of course his scruples of 
conscience could not allow him to keep the books, and I 
dismissed him.” 

“ Do you mean to say, my dear father, that he, in a 
respectful manner, declined entering into partnership 
from these scruples which you mention ; that he gave you 
no other offense than expressing his opinion, and declining 
your offer ? ” 

“And what would you have more?” replied Mr. Tre- 
vannion. 

“ I wish to know where was the insult, the ingratitude, 
on his part which you complain of ? ” 

“ Simply in refusing the offer. He ought to have felt 
grateful, and he was not ; and he had no right to give 
such reasons as he did ; for the reasons were condemning 
my actions. But you women can not understand these 
things.” 

“ I rather think, my dear father, that we can not ; 
for I can not perceive either the insult or the ingrati- 
tude which you complain of, and such I think will be 
your own opinion when you have had time to reflect, 
and are more cool. Mr. Elrington expressed nothing 
more to-day, when he stated his dislike to privateering 
from conscientious motives, than he did after his return 
from his confinement in the Tower, when he gave up 
the command of the privateer on those very grounds ; 
and then, when still warm with gratitude to him for 
his self-devotion, you did not consider it an insult, but, 
on the contrary, took him still nearer to you into your 
own house. Why, then, should you consider it an in- 
sult now? Neither can I see any ingratitude. You 
made him an offer, the value of which, in a worldly point 
of view, he could not but appreciate, and he declined it 
from conscientious motives ; declined it, as you acknowl- 
edge, respectfully ; proving that he was ready to sacri- 
fice his worldly interests to what he considered his duty 
as a Christian. When Mr. Elrington told me that you 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 


139 


had dismissed him, I felt so certain that he must have 
been guilty of some unpardonable conduct toward you 
to have induced you to have resorted to such a step, that 
I did not credit him when he asserted the contrary. I 
could not believe, as a daughter, any thing so much to 
the prejudice of my own father, and so much at variance 
with his general conduct. I now feel that I have been 
most unjust to Mr. Elrington, and conducted myself to- 
ward him in a way which I bitterly regret, and hope by 
some means to be able to express my contrition for ” 

“Amy — Amy,” said Mr. Trevannion, severely, “are 
you blinded by regard for this young man, that you side 
against your own father ? Am I to understand that you 
have given your affections without my sanction or 
approval ? ” 

“ No, sir,” replied Miss Trevannion; “that I do re- 
spect and regard Mr. Elrington is true, and I can not do 
otherwise, for his many good qualities and his devotion 
toward you; but if you would ask me if I love him, I 
reply that such a thought has not yet entered my head. 
Without a knowledge of who he is, or his family, and 
without your approval, I should never think of yielding up 
my affections in so hasty a manner ; but I may say more : 
these affections have never been solicited by Mr. Elring- 
ton. He has always behaved toward me with that re- 
spect, which, as the daughter of his patron, I have had 
a right to expect ; but in no instance has he ever signi- 
fied to me that he had any preference in my favor. 
Having assured you of this, my dear father, I can not but 
say that I consider that he has, in this instance, not only 
been treated with injustice by you, but also by me.” 

“Say no more,” replied Mr. Trevannion. As he said 
this, I heard footsteps in the passage, and was about to 
retreat to my own room ; but, as the party came without 
a light, I remained. It was the porter, who knocked at 
the sitting-room door, and was requested to come in by 
Mr. Trevannion. 

“ If you please, sir, Mr. Elrington is gone out, I be- 
lieve, and I found this packet directed to you on the 
table of the inner room, and also this bag of money, 
which I suppose you forgot to put away before you left.” 


140 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 


“Very well, Humphrey, leave them on the table/' 

The man did so, and quitted the room, not perceiving 
me in the dark as he passed through the ante-room. 

“ He has not taken the money,” observed Mr. Trevan- 
nion. “ He might have done so, as he ought to be paid 
for his services.” 

“I presume, my. dear father, that his feelings were too 
much hurt by what passed,” said Miss Trevannion. 
“ There are obligations which can not be repaid with 
gold.” 

“ These, I perceive, are the keys of the safe I did not 
think that he would have gone away this night.” 

I now considered it high time to quit the ante-room, 
where I had been irresistibly detained by the conversa- 
tion which took place. I hastened to my own chamber, 
determined that I would leave the house the next morn- 
ing before any one was stirring. I gained it in the dark, 
but, having the means of striking a light, I did so, and 
packed up all my clothes ready for my departure. I had 
just fastened down my valise, when I perceived a light 
on the further end of the long corridor which led to my 
apartment. Thinking it might be Mr. Trevannion, and 
not wishing to see him, I blew out my own light, and re- 
treated to a small dressing-room within my chamber, 
communicating by a glass door. The light evidently 
approached, and at last I perceived the party was enter- 
ing my room, the door of which was wide open. It was 
Miss Trevannion who entered, and, turning round with 
her chamber-light in her hand, appeared to survey the 
apartment with a mournful air. She perceived my valise, 
and her eyes were fixed upon it for some time ; at last 
she walked up to the dressing-table, and, sitting on the 
stool before it, leaned down her head upon her hands and 
wept. 

“ Alas ! ” thought I, “ if those tears were but for me ; 
but it is not so — she has been excited, and her tears have 
come to her relief.” 

After a time she raised her head from the table, and 
said, “ How unjust have I been — and I shall see him no 
more ! — if I could but beg his pardon, I should be more 
happy. Poor fellow ! — what must he have felt at my 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN. I4I 

harsh bearing. Oh ! my father, I could not have be- 
lieved it. And what did I say ? — that I had no feeling 
for — well, I thought so at the time, but now — I am not 
quite sure that I was correct, though he — well, it’s better 
tha^ he’s gone — but I can not bear that he should have 
gone as he has done. How his opinion of me must have 
changed ! That is what vexes me — ” and again she bent 
her head down on the table and wept. 

In a moment she again rose, and took her candle in her 
hand. Perceiving on the dressing-table a small gold 
ring which I had taken off my finger the day before, and 
had forgotten, she took it up and examined it. After a 
little while she laid her light down on the table, and put 
the ring upon her finger. 

“I will keep it till I see him again,” murmured she ; 
and then taking her light she walked slowly out of the 
room. 

The knowledge I had gained by this unintentional 
eaves-dropping on my part, was the source of much re- 
flection ; and as I lay on the bed without taking off my 
clothes, it occupied my thoughts till the day began to 
break. That I still retained the good opinion of Miss 
Trevannion was certain, and the mortification I had en- 
dured at our final interview was now wholly removed. It 
was her duty to suppose her parent not in fault till the 
contrary was proved. She had known her father for 
years — me she had only known for a short time — and 
never before had she known him guilty of injustice. But 
her expressions and her behavior in my room — was it 
possible that she was partial to me, more partial than 
she had asserted to her father when she was questioned ? 
— and her taking away the ring ! 


142 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 


CHAPTER XIV. 

A Conspiracy, which ends satisfactorily to all Parties — Privateering 

is abandoned, and Captain Levee and Philip serve the King. 

The night passed away in attempts at analyzing the 
real feelings of Miss Trevannion, and also my own 
toward her ; and now that I was to be separated from 
her, I discovered what I really had not before imagined, 
that my future happiness was seriously endangered by 
my sentiments toward her ; in short, dear madam, that I 
was most seriously in love. 

“ And now,” thought I, “ of what avail is it to have 
made this discovery now, except it were to convince me, 
as Miss Trevannion had said, that it were better that I 
were gone.” 

I did not fail to call to mind her observation about my 
unknown parentage and family, and this I reflected upon 
with pleasure, as it was the chief objection raised by 
her, and, at the same time, one that I could proudly 
remove, from my birth being really more distinguished 
than her own. Should I make it known ? How could 
I ? — we should, probably, never meet again. All this, 
and much more, was canvassed in my mind during the 
night, and also another question of more real import- 
ance, which was, what I was to do, and where I was to 
go ? On this last point I could not make up my mind, 
but I determined that I would not leave Liverpool for a 
day or two, but would take up my quarters at my old 
lodgings, where I had lived with Captain Levee. 

As the day dawned, I arose from the bed, and, taking 
my valise on my shoulder, I went softly down-stairs, 
opened the street door, and, shutting it again carefully, 
I hastened down the street as fast as I could. I met 
nobody, for it was still early, and arrived at the lodging- 
house, where I had some trouble to obtain admittance ; 
the old lady at last opening the door in great dishabille. 

“ Captain Elrington ! is it possible,” exclaimed she, 
“ why, what’s the matter ? ” 

“Nothing, madam,” replied I, “but that I have come 
to take possession of your lodgings for a few days.” 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 


H3 


“ And welcome, sir,” replied she ; “ will you walk up 
stairs while I make myself more fit to be seen ? I was in 
bed and fast asleep when you knocked ; I do believe I 
was dreaming of my good friend, Captain Levee.” 

I went up stairs and threw myself on the old settee 
which was so familiar to me, and somehow or another in 
a few minutes I was in a sound sleep. How long I 
might have slept on I can not tell, but in less than an 
hour I was waked up by loud talking and laughter, and 
a few seconds afterward found myself embraced by my 
brother Philip and Captain Levee. The Arrow had 
anchored at break of day, and they had just come on 
shore. I was delighted to see them, as every one is 
when he meets with friends when he is in distress. I 
briefly stated how it was that they found me there, and 
when breakfast was on the table, I entered into full 
details of what had passed, with the exception of Miss 
Trevannion having entered my room — that I considered 
too sacred to repeat to any one. 

“ You know, my dear Elrington,” said Captain Levee, 
“ that I have not the scruples which you have relative to 
privateering, but still I respect the conscientious scruples 
of others. There is no excuse for Mr. Trevannion’s 
conduct, and I can not but think that there is something 
else at the bottom of all this. You haven’t been making 
love to his daughter, or, what would amount to the same 
thing, she has not been making advances to you ? ” 

“ I have not dared the first, Levee, and you do not 
know her, to suppose her capable of the latter.” 

“ Well, if she had done so, there would have been no 
harm done,” replied he ; “ but I will say no more as you 
look so grave. Philip and I will now call upon Mr. 
Trevannion, and while I engage the old gentleman, 
Philip shall run alongside of the young maiden, and 
between the two we shall get our bearings and distance, 
and know how the land lies — and I will tell you more, 
Elrington, although I have no objection to be captain of 
a privateer, I certainly consider the command of a king’s 
ship more reputable ; and if I could manage to get the 
Arrow hired into the king’s service (I still remaining in 
command of her), I should prefer it being so. At all 


144 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 


events, I’ll side with you, and that will drive the old 
gentleman on a dead lee-shore. Come along, Philip — we 
shall be with you in two hours, Elrington.” With these 
words Captain Levee left the room, followed by my 
brother. 

It was nearly three hours before they returned, and 
then I received the following narrative : Captain Levee, 
as he sat down, said, “Now, Philip, we’ll hear your 
account first.” 

“Well, mine is soon told,” replied Philip; “I had 
made up my mind how to act, and did not tell Captain 
Levee what I intended to do. When Mr. Trevannion 
met us in the room behind the counting-house he 
appeared very much flurried : he shook hands with 
Captain Levee, and offered me his hand, which I refused, 
saying, ‘Mr. Trevannion, I have just seen my brother, 
and I hardly need say that nothing will induce me to 
remain in your employ. I will, therefore, thank you for 
my wages at your convenience.’ 

“ ‘ Hey-day, young man,’ cried he, ‘ you give yourself 
strange airs. Well, sir, you shall have your discharge ; 
I can do without such snip-jacks as you are.” 

“ ‘ Snip-jacks ! Mr. Trevannion,’ replied I ; ‘ if I must 
say it, we are better born and better bred than you or 
any of your connections, and you were honored by our 
service.’ ” 

“ You said that, Philip ? — then you were wrong.” 

“ I told the truth.” 

“ Still, you should not have said it ; we took his serv- 
ice, and therefore ” 

“ We are not snip-jacks,” interrupted Philip, “ and his 
calling names brought on the reply.” 

“ You must admit the provocation, Elrington,” said 
Captain Levee. 

“ Well, go on, Philip.” 

Indeed,’ said Mr. Trevannion, in a great passion ; 

‘ well, then, I will soon rid myself of the obligation. 
Call this afternoon, Master Philip, and you shall receive 
your wages. You may now quit the room.’ 

“ I did so, and put my hat a-cock to annoy him.” 

“ So far his narrative is quite correct,” said Captain 
Levee ; — “ now go on.” 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 


145 


“Well,” said Philip, “instead of turning out of the 
house, I turned into it, and went to the young lady’s sit- 
ting-room. I opened the door softly, and found her 
with her hand up to her head, looking very sedate and 
sorrowful. ‘ Master Philip,’ said she, ‘ you startled me ; 
I am glad to see you — when did you arrive ? ’ 

“‘This morning, Miss Trevannion.’ 

“ ‘ Well, sit down and bear me company for a time. 
Have you seen your brother ? ’ 

“ ‘ I have, Miss Trevannion,’ replied I, still remaining 
on my feet, ‘ and I have just seen your father. I come 
now to bid you farewell. I have left the privateer, and 
shall never join her again ; perhaps I may never see you 
again either, which, believe me, I am truly sorry for.’ 

“ She covered her eyes with her hand, as she leaned on 
the table, and I saw a tear fall as she said — 

“ ‘ It is a sad business altogether, and has distressed 
me very much. I hope your brother does not think that 
I blame him ; tell him that I do not in the least, and that 
he must forget my behavior to him when we parted. I 
did him injustice, and I beg his pardon. Tell him so, 
Philip.’ ” 

“ Did she say those words, Philip ? ” 

“Yes, word for word, and looked like an angel when 
she said so. I replied that I would certainly deliver her 
message, but that I must not remain, for fear of Mr. 
Trevannion finding me with her, as he ordered me to quit 
the house. 

“ ‘ Indeed,’ said she ; * what can be the matter with my 
poor father ? ’ 

“ ‘ Why, Miss Trevannion,’ said I, ‘ he was very angry, 
and he had reason, for I was very saucy, and that’s the 
truth.’ 

“ ‘ Why, Philip, what did you say to him ? ’ 

“‘ Oh, I hardly know,’ replied I, ‘but I know that I 
said more than I ought ; for I was very angry at my 
brother’s dismissal. Good-by, Miss Trevannion.’ 

“ Miss Trevannion was taking a ring off her finger as 
I said good-by, and I thought she was going to give it 
to me as a keepsake ; but after a little hesitation, she put 
it on again, and then held out her hand, saying, ‘ Good- 


46 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 


by, Master Philip, let us not part in anger, at all events.* 
I took her hand, bowed, and turned away to quit the 
room ; when I was at the door I looked round, and she 
was sitting with her face in her hands and I think she 
was weeping. I went out into the street, and waited for 
Captain Levee, and there’s an end of my story.” 

“ Well, now I’ll give you my portion, Elrington. — As 
soon as Philip went out of the room, Mr. Trevannion 
said, ‘ That’s a most impudent boy, and I am glad that 
he is gone. You are of course aware that his brother has 
left me, and the cause of our disagreement ? ’ 

“ ‘ Yes, sir,’ replied I, dryly, ‘ I have heard the whole 
particulars.’ 

“ ‘ Did you ever hear of such ridiculous scruples ? ’ 
said he. 

“ ‘ Yes, sir, I heard them before, and so did you, when 
he gave up the command of the privateer, and I respected 
them, because I knew that Mr. Elrington was sincere. 
Indeed, his observations on that head are undeniably 
true, and have had great weight with me ; so much so that 
I intend to enter the king’s service as soon as I possibly 
can.’ 

“I wish you had seen the look of Mr. Trevannion 
when I said this — he was stupefied. That I, Captain 
Levee, who had commanded his vessels so long — I, the 
very beau ideal of a privateersman, a reckless, extravagant 
dare-devil, should also presume to have scruples, was too 
much for him. ‘ Et tu, Brute,’ he might have exclaimed, 
but he did not ; but he stared at me without speaking for 
some time ; at last he said, ‘ Is the golden age arrived, or 
is this a conspiracy ? ’ 

“ ‘ Neither one nor the other, sir,’ I replied ; ‘ I follow 
privateering because I can do no better ; but as soon as 
I can do better, I shall leave it off.’ 

“‘ Perhaps,’ said Mr. Trevannion, ‘you would wish to 
resign the command at once. If so, I beg you will not 
make any ceremony.’ 

“ ‘ I have not wished to put you to any inconvenience, 
Mr. Trevannion,’ replied I, ‘but as you kindly beg me to 
use no ceremony, I will take advantage of your offer, and 
resign the command of the Arrow this day.’ ” 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 


147 


“ Surely, Levee, you have not done so ? ” 

“ Yes, I have,” replied the Captain, “and I have done 
so, in the first place, out of friendship for you, and in the 
second, because I wish to be employed in the king’s serv- 
ice, and my only chance of obtaining that wish is doing 
what I have done.” 

“ How will that effect your purpose ? ” 

“ Because the men have sailed so long with me, that 
they will not sail under any other person, if I tell them 
not. Mr. Trevannion will find himself in an awkward 
position, and I think we can force him to hire his vessel 
to the government, who will gladly accept such a one as 
the Arrow.” 

“ That I believe, if from her reputation alone,” replied 
I. “ Well, Levee, I thank you very much for this proof 
of sincere friendship. The plot thickens, and a few 
days will decide the question.” 

“ Very true, and now let me finish my story. 1 I am 
afraid,’ said Mr. Trevannion, in a very sarcastic tone, 
* that I shall not be able to find any one to replace you 
in this moral age, Captain Levee ; but I will try.’ 

“ ‘ Sir,’ I replied, ‘ I will now answer your sarcasm. 
There is some excuse for ignorant seamen, before the 
mast, who enter on board of privateers ; they are indiffer- 
ent to blood and carnage, and their feelings are blunted : 
there is some excuse even for decayed gentlemen like 
me, Mr. Trevannion (for I am a gentleman born), who, to 
obtain a maintenance without labor, risk their lives and 
shed their blood ; but there is no excuse for those who, 
having already as much wealth and more than they can 
require, still furnish the means and equip vessels of this 
description to commit the destruction which they do, for 
the sake of gain. There is a sermon, sir, for you from a 
captain of a privateer, and I now wish you good-morn- 
ing.’ I then got up, and, making a profound bow, 
quitted the room before Mr. Trevannion made any 
reply, and here I am. Now all we have to do is to 
wait quietly, and see what takes place ; but first I 
shall go on board the Arrow and let them know that I 
have quarreled with the owner. The men are not very 
well pleased as it is with their want of success these two 


148 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 


last voyages, and it will require but little to blow up the 
discontent into a mutiny. Come, Philip, I shall want 
you to assist me. We shall be back to dinner, Elring- 
ton.” 

When I was again alone, I had time to consider what 
had passed. What I chiefly dwelt upon was the inter- 
view between Philip and Miss Trevannion — her message 
to me — her hesitating — and keeping the ring. I could 
not help surmising that our feelings toward each other 
were reciprocal, and this idea gave me infinite delight, 
and repaid me for all that had passed. Then my 
brother’s hasty declaration to her father, that we were 
better born and bred than he was, would certainly be 
repeated by him to his daughter, and must make an 
impression. And what would Mr. Trevannion do ? 
Would he give way to the unanimous opinion against 
him ? I feared not, at least without another struggle. All 
these questions occupied my thoughts till the return of 
Captain Levee and Philip from the privateer. They had 
well managed their business. The crew of the Arrow 
had come to an unanimous resolution that they would 
not sail with any other captain but Captain Levee ; and 
that if he did resign the command of the vessel, as soon 
as their wages were paid, and they received their share 
of prize-money, they would leave, and enter into the 
king’s service. 

That afternoon Mr. Trevannion sent for the officer 
next in command, to give him the command of the vessel; 
but as he went over the side, the men, expecting that he 
was sent for for that purpose, told him that they would 
serve under no one but Captain Levee, and that he might 
acquaint the owner with their determination. This put 
the finishing blow to Mr. Trevannion. As soon as this 
was communicated to him, he was wild with rage in 
being thus thwarted in every way. As I afterward was 
informed, he went even to his daughter, acquainted her 
with all that had passed, and gave vent to his indignation, 
accusing her of being a party in the conspiracy. But 
this was to be his last effort : the excitement had been 
too great, and after dinner he felt so unwell that he went 
to bed. The next morning he was in a raging fever, and 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 


149 


at times delirious. The fever was so violent that the 
doctors had much to do to reduce it, and for ten days 
Mr. Trevannion was in great danger. At last it was got 
under, leaving him in a state of great weakness and 
exhaustion, and his recovery was any thing but rapid. 
Humphrey, the porter, had brought us this intelligence ; 
as now there was no one to transact the business of the 
house, and the poor fellow did not know what to do, I 
desired him to apply to Miss Trevannion for directions, 
and told him that, although I would not enter the house, 
I would, if she wished it, see to the more important con- 
cerns which could not be neglected. She was then 
attending her father, and sent me a message, requesting, 
as a favor to her, that I would assist all I could in the 
dilemma. I consequently sent for the books, and gave 
orders, and made the necessary arrangements, as I had 
done before I had been dismissed by Mr. Trevannion. 

It was nearly five weeks before Mr. Trevannion had 
sufficiently recovered to mention anything about business 
to him, and then it was that he learned from his daughter 
that I had carried it on for him during his illness, and 
that every thing had gone on as well as if he had acted 
for himself. Although Miss Trevannion had not 
expressed a wish that I should call, she had sent Hum- 
phrey for my brother Philip, to let us know the dangerous 
state in which her father was, and after that Philip called 
every day, and was the bearer of messages to me. As 
her father recovered, she told Philip that he had expressed 
himself very strongly as to his conduct toward me, and 
had acknowledged that I was right in my scruples, and 
that he was astonished that he had not viewed privateering 
in the same light that I did. That he felt very grateful for 
my considerate and kind conduct in conducting the busi- 
ness during his illness, and that as soon as he was well 
enough he would call upon me to beg my pardon for his con- 
duct toward me. Miss Trevannion also told him that her 
father had said that he considered his illness a judgment 
upon him, and a warning to open his eyes to his sacrifice 
of principle to the desire of gain, and that he received it 
accordingly with humility and thankfulness ; that it was 
his intention to offer the privateer vessels to government, 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 


150 

and if they did not hire them, he should dispose of them 
in some other way. This was very agreeable intelligence, 
and was the source of much conversation between Captain 
Levee and me. 

About a fortnight afterward, Mr. Trevannion, who 
was still weak, sent me a billet, in which he said that he 
was afraid that his anxiety to see me and his being still 
confined to his room, rather retarded his recovery, and 
begged as a favor that I would accept his acknowledgment 
in writing, and come to see him. That I consented to 
do, and repaired to his house accordingly. I found him 
in his room, sitting in his dressing-gown, and he had 
evidently suffered much. 

“ Mr. Elrington,” said he, “ I trust to your excellent 
nature to accept my apologies for the very unjust treat- 
ment you have received at my hands. I am ashamed of 
myself, and I can say no more.” 

“ I beg, Mr. Trevannion, that you will say no more ; 
I accept the return of your friendship with pleasure,” 
replied I ; “I am sorry that you have been so ill.” 

“ I am not,” replied he ; “ it is good for us to be chas- 
tised at times. My sickness has opened my eyes, and 
made me, I trust, a better man. May I ask a favor of 
you ? ” 

“ Most certainly, sir,” replied I. 

“ It is that you will execute a commission for me, 
which is to go to London on my account, see the 
government people who control the naval affairs and offer 
the Arrow as a hired vessel. You know all her qualities 
so well, and have kept her accounts so long, that you will 
be able to furnish them with all necessary inform- 
ation. I should wish Captain Levee to go with you, and, 
if you possibly can, make it a condition that he is taken 
into the king’s service, and appointed the captain of her.” 

“ I will do so with pleasure,” replied I. 

“ One more favor I have to beg, Mr. Elrington. When 
I so foolishly quarreled with you, you left a bag of 
money, to which you were fully entitled from your good 
services, upon the table in the inner room. I trust now 
that you will not mortify me by refusing it, or I shall 
think that you have not really forgiven me.” 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 


T S X 


I bowed assent. 

“ I thank you, Mr. Elrington — thank you very much. 
Now I shall soon get well. To-morrow, perhaps, you 
will have the kindness to come and see me again. I feel 
rather overcome at present. Remember me kindly to 
Philip. Good-by for to-day,” said Mr. Trevannion, 
holding out his emaciated hand. “ God bless you.” 

I took his hand and quitted the room, shutting the 
door softly. Mr. Trevannion was quite alone when I 
was with him. Humphrey, the porter, had shown me 
up stairs to the room. 

Anxious as I was to see Miss Trevannion, I did not 
venture into the sitting-room, but passed the door and 
went down stairs ; when I was going out of the street 
door, Humphrey followed me, and said Miss Trevan- 
nion wished to see me. I went back again with a beat- 
ing heart, a sensation I had not felt before, when about 
to go into her presence. She was standing by the table. 

“ Mr. Elrington,” said she, as I bowed upon entering, 
“ I did not think that you could carry your resentment 
against me so far as to leave the house without asking to 
see me ; but if you do not wish to see me, ’tis a duty I 
owe to myself to wish to see you, if only for a moment, 
that I may beg your pardon for my conduct toward you 
when we last parted. I have suffered much since that, 
Mr. Elrington ; do not make me suffer more by continu- 
ing your resentment. Recollect I am but a weak woman, 
and must not be judged so severely as one of your own 
sex.” 

“ I have nothing to pardon that I am aware of, Miss 
Trevannion,” replied I ; “ I did not intrude upon you just 
now, because being no longer an inmate of the house, 
and not having parted with you in complete amity, I 
thought it would be presumptuous in me so to do.” 

“ You are very generous, Mr. Elrington,” replied she ; 
“ now take my hand, and I promise never to be so hasty 
again.” 

I took the proffered hand, and raised it respectfully 
to my lips. I had never done so before ; but Miss 
Trevannion showed no signs of displeasure, or attempted 
to withdraw it. 


152 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 


“ Do you think my father looks very ill, Mr. Elring- 
ton ? ” said she. 

“ From his appearance, I think that he must have 
suffered much.” 

“ I am most thankful that you have come to see him, 
Mr. Elrington. You have no idea how his mind was 
troubled, and how he longed to be reconciled to you. I 
trust he has made his peace.” 

“ I have always had too much respect for your father, 
and gratitude for his kindness to me, to have made that 
a work of difficulty.” 

“ You rejoice me much — make me very happy, Mr. 
Elrington,” replied Miss Trevannion, as the tears 
dropped fast from her eyes. “ You must excuse me,” said 
she ; “ I have become very weak and nervous during 
my father’s illness — and sitting up with him so much, — 
but it is over now.” 

“ You have had much anxiety, I see, Miss Trevannion ; 
you are pale and thin to what you were.” 

“ Did my father — ? but I have no right to ask such 
questions.” 

“ You would inquire, Miss Trevannion, whether any 
thing was said as to future arrangements ? ” 

Miss Trevannion made a sign of assent. 

“ I have promised to execute a commission for him, 
and am going to London, accompanied by Captain 
Levee.” 

“ To get rid of those wretched privateers, is it not ? ” 

“ Yes it is, and I am to come to-morrow to arrange 
further : but I think you want to return to your father’s 
room, so I will now take my leave.” 

“ You are considerate, Mr. Elrington ; I did want to 
go up stairs ; but before I go I have some property of 
yours to place in your hands.” 

I bowed, thinking that she referred to the ring, which 
I perceived on her finger, and was annoyed that she was 
in such haste to return it. But, on the contrary, she 
went to the buffet and brought out the bag of gold 
jacobuses, which she laid on the table. 

“ You are very proud, Mr. Elrington, not to take what 
was fairly your due,” said Miss Trevannion, smiling. 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 


*53 


“ It is much more than I have ever earned,” replied 
I ; “ but your father made me promise not to refuse it a 
second time, and of course I shall now take it.” 

My heart was much lightened when I found that it 
was the gold, and not the ring. 

“ Then good-by, Mr. Elrington ; to-morrow I shall 
see you, of course.” 

Miss Trevannion then left the room and hastened up 
stairs to her father, and I went home to my lodgings. I 
narrated the substance of what had passed between Mr. 
Trevannion and me to Captain Levee and Philip, and 
also that I had been kindly received by Miss Tre- 
vannion. 

“Well, I like the reconciliation and arrangement very 
much,” said Captain Levee ; “ and as you have such a 
bag of gold, and I have not fifty guineas in the world, 
you shall stand treat in London, Elrington.” 

“ That I will with pleasure ; it will only be discharg- 
ing an old debt, Levee. Philip shall go with us.” 

“ But ” said Captain Levee, “ do you not think they will 
recognize their state prisoner, and be cautious of a 
Jacobite ? ” 

“ They may remember the name,” said I, “ but my 
person was seen but by few. I do, however, think it 
would be advisable, as I shall have to sign papers, to 
take another.” 

“ I think so too,” replied Captain Levee ; “ what shall 
we call you ? ” 

“ Let me see ; I’ll have a good name. I had a rela- 
tive of the name of Musgrave ; I think I will borrow 
his name. What say you, Philip ? Will you be, for the 
future, Philip Musgrave ? ” 

“ Yes, brother, with all my heart. The name appears 
to fit me better than that of Elrington.” 

Thus, Madam, did I resume my real name without 
any suspicion on the part of Captain Levee ; but I could 
not well sign government papers with an assumed one. 

On the following day I called upon Mr. Trevannion, 
who received me with great affection, and it was arranged 
that I should set off in three days, which time would 
be required for preparation, and to make the necessary 


iS4 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 


purchases. To supply funds for the journey, Mr. Tre- 
vannion gave me another bag of jacobuses, of the same 
amount as the former, saying that he wished us to 
appear bravely when we arrived in London, and that he 
should require no account of the expenditure, only that 
if the contents of the bag were not sufficient, he would 
supply more. This was nothing more but an excuse on 
his part to be generous ; for one quarter of the money 
would have been sufficient for all needful expenses. I 
told him that I had taken the name of Musgrave, as that 
of Elrington might be remembered to the injury of the 
proposal, and he said that it was well thought of by me. 
Miss Trevannion had entered the room when I men- 
tioned that to her father, and afterward had quitted it. 
After I had taken leave of Mr. Trevannion, I went down 
to the sitting-room, where I found his daughter waiting 
for me. We had much friendly discourse, and at one 
time she said, “ I heard you say that you had taken the 
name of Musgrave for your intended journey. Do you 
intend to retain that name when you return ? ” 

“ Why should I ? ” replied I. 

“ Because,” replied she, “ perhaps it is your real name. 
Excuse a lady’s curiosity, but is not that the fact ? ” 

“Miss Trevannion,” replied I, “ my real name must 
at present remain a secret.” 

“ That is to say, it will no longer be a secret if in- 
trusted to me ? I thank you, sir, for the compliment.” 

“I do not intend to imply that, Miss Trevannion ; I 
fully believe that you can keep a secret.” 

“ If you fully believe so, you might, then, reply to my 
question ; the more so, as I now pledge myself to keep 
your secret most faithfully.” 

“ Then, Miss Trevannion, my real name is Musgrave," 
replied I. 

“ I thank you for your confidence, Mr. Musgrave, 
which shall not be misplaced. I might now follow up 
my inquiries as to why you changed your name, with 
many other queries; but I am too discreet for that — 
the time may come when I shall know all ; but I am 
content with your proof of confidence, and thank you 
for it.” 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 


155 


Miss Trevannion never was so lively and communi- 
cative with me before, as she was this morning ; there 
was a friendliness without any of her usual reserve, 
^nd I* left her more full of admiration and devotion 
than ever. 

In three days more our preparations were made, and, 
taking leave of Miss Trevannion and her father, who was 
recovering, and had admitted company to his room, we 
set off on horseback, as we had done before, and attended 
by the same two men of Captain Levee’s who had served 
us on a former journey to London. We had no adven- 
ture whatever on this journey which could be worth 
narrating, and I shall therefore say that we arrived in 
good health and spirits, and took up our abode at once 
at our former lodging-house, instead of going to the inn. 
We were welcomed by the hostess, who had her house 
almost empty. The following day I made inquiries, and 
in consequence went to the Navy Office, and requesting 
to see one of the head clerks, informed him of the occa- 
sion of my*coming up to London. He was very civil, 
and replied that the government were in want of vessels, 
and he had no doubt but they would have the Arrow, as 
she was well known as a strong privateer. I then inquired 
whether they thought it likely that Captain Levee might 
be taken into the service, stating what an excellent crew 
the Arrow had, and that they would not remain in her 
unless they were commanded by him, in whom they had 
great confidence. 

The clerk replied that it might be done certainly, — 
“but,” added he — “sir, you cannot expect people to do 
such kind offices without they are rewarded.” 

I perfectly understood him, and replied, that, of course, 
I did not expect it ; but I was so ignorant as to what 
ought to be done, that I begged that he would give me 
his advice, for which I should be most grateful. 

“Well, well, you understand me, Mr. Musgrave, and 
that is sufficient. I will be plain with you. It will cost 
100 guineas to obtain what you want for Captain Levee, 
and of that money I shall not receive a doit.” 

“ I shall be most happy to give that sum and half as 
much more to obtain my wish, sir, and shall feel much 


* 5 6 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 


obliged to you in the bargain ; and while I am negotiating, 
I may as well state that I have a brother who sails with 
Captain Levee, who is most anxious to be with him, and 
sail as his lieutenant.” 

“ That will cost another fifty guineas, Mr. Musgrave.” 

“ I am most willing,” replied I. 

“Well, we must first get the vessel hired into the 
service. You have your tonnage and equipment all on 
paper ? ” 

“ Every thing that is requisite ; and, moreover, every 
cruise she has made, the actions she has fought, and the 
prizes she has taken under the command of Captain 
Levee, and with the crew now on board.” 

“ Furnish all these documents, Mr. Musgrave, and leave 
it to me. I am to understand that you perfectly agree to 
the terms I have proposed ? ” 

“ Perfectly, sir ; and, if you please, I will sign a memo- 
randum to that effect.” 

“ No, no,” replied he, “we never put such things down 
on paper. It is an affair of honor and good faith. You 
say your money is all ready.” 

“ At a minute’s warning.” 

“ That is sufficient, Mr. Musgrave. I will now wish you 
good-morning. Send me the documents.” 

“ I have them in my pocket, sir.” 

“ Better still ; then the affair may be arranged this 
afternoon, and you may call to-morrow at about two in the 
afternoon ; and you may as well bring the money with 
you, as you can but take it away again if every thing is 
not to your satisfaction.” 

I returned to the lodgings quite delighted with the 
prospect of such a fortunate issue to my mission, and was 
in good time for dinner. I did not tell Captain Levee or 
Philip of what had passed, but merely that I considered 
that there was a good chance of success, and that I was 
to call on the following day. That night we went to the 
theater, and saw a play performed, written by Shakespeare, 
in the time of Queen Elizabeth, and called the “ Merry 
Wives of Windsor.” We were much pleased with the 
character of Falstaff , a fat knight, full of humor. The 
next day, at the time appointed, I called upon the head 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 


I S7 

clerk, who told me that every thing was arranged accord- 
ing to my wishes ; that the hiring of the vessel was ac- 
cording to her tonnage ; and he considered that the price 
offered by the government was fair and liberal ; so did I, 
and immediately accepted it. He then drew from his 
desk the articles of agreement between the government 
and the owner of the vessel, and, at the same time, the 
warrants for Captain Levee and Philip, to act as com- 
mander and lieutenant. 

“ Now, Mr. Musgrave, all you have to do is to sign 
the first paper, and fulfill the other portion of our agree- 
ment.” 

I immediately pulled out the bag of money which I had 
brought with me, and, after counting it over the clerk gave 
me his pen to sign the document, and handed me the war- 
rants for Philip and Captain Levee. 

“You have behaved liberally in this affair, Mr. Mus- 
grave,” said the gentleman, as he locked up the bag of 
money in his desk : “ if at any time I can be of use to you, 
you may command me.” 

“ I thank you, sir,” replied I ; “ I may by and by 
have to ask you to exert your influence in behalf of 
my brother, that he may obtain the command of one of 
the king’s ships, and if you can help me, I shall be most 
grateful.” 

“ Depend upon it I will,” replied he, “ and I beg you 
will use no ceremony on making the application.” 

He then shook hands with me, and I went home. Din- 
ner was over when I came back, but the hostess had put 
away some victuals for me, and while I was eating them 
I gave them an account of my success, handing their 
warrants to Captain Levee and Philip. They could hardly 
credit me, even when the documents were in their hands, 
but pledging them to secrecy, I told them by what means 
I had been so successful. Whereupon they thanked me, 
and we then went out to procure the uniforms suitable 
to their respective ranks, and this occupied us till the 
evening, when we agreed to go to the cockpit and see the 
fights between the various animals, with which Philip par- 
ticularly was much delighted. As we had nothing to de- 
tain us in London, and it was necessary that the Arrow 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 


158 

should immediately run round to the Nore, we determined, 
as the uniforms were to be ready on the following day, 
that the day after that we would return to Liverpool. 


CHAPTER XV. 

We return to Liverpool — I have an interview with Miss Trevannion 

— Plutus interferes with Cupid, and I sail again for the coast of 

Africa. 

We set off, and arrived at Liverpool, without accident, 
late on the sixth night, when we repaired to our usual 
lodgings. The next day I called to tell Mr. Trevannion 
that I had returned, and was informed by Humphrey 
that he was quite strong again, and very anxious to see 
me, although he had no idea that I should return so 
soon. Humphrey went up to announce my arrival, and 
Mr. Trevamiion admitted me immediately, although he 
was not yet out of bed. 

“ I fear that you have not been successful,” said he, as 
he took my hand. 

“ On the contrary, sir, I have succeeded in every 
thing,” and I then gave him an account of what had hap- 
pened. 

“ Well,” replied he, “ I am glad of it, and recollect I 
must be at the expense, as, without you had incurred it, 
the schooner would not, in all probability, have been 
hired. And now I want to consult with you about some- 
thing else. Here is a letter from Captain Irving, of the 
Amy, brought home by the Chester Lass.” 

These were two vessels employed on the Gold Coast, 
which belonged to Mr. Trevannion. 

“Read it,” said Mr. Trevannion, “and give me your 
opinion.” 

I did so : Captain Irving stated that he had pushed 
the two vessels up a small river on the coast, which he 
had not known of before, and had fallen in with a black 
ruler, who had never yet treated with the English ; but 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 


159 

only with the Spaniards for slaves. That his English 
commodities were quite new to the natives, and that, in 
consequence, he had made a most fortunate traffic with 
them, and had loaded a vessel with ivory, wax, and gold 
dfist to the amount of 1000 pounds, and that he had sent 
the Chester Lass, remaining himself, to continue the bar- 
ter before it was known to the other ships on the coast, 
which it would soon be. He continued that he had not 
sufficient of the articles which were most valued by the 
natives, and requested that Mr. Trevannion would imme- 
diately dispatch another vessel with various goods 
enumerated, and that then he should be able to fill his 
own vessel as well as the one that he had dispatched 
home ; that the river was in such a latitude, and the 
mouth difficult to discover ; that he sent a little sketch 
of the coast, which would facilitate the discovery — but 
that no time was to be lost, as the sickly season was com- 
ing on, and it was very unhealthy at that time. 

As I folded up the letter, Mr. Trevannion said, 

“ Now here is an invoice of the whole cargo sent home 
by the Chester Lass. I reckon it worth about £ 7000 ” 

I looked over the invoice, and agreed with Mr. Tre- 
vannion that it was well worth that, if not more. 

“ This is most important, you will acknowledge, Mus- 
grave,” said Mr. Trevannion ; “but before I go any fur- 
ther I trust that, now the only difficulty is got over, you 
will not refuse to be my partner ; the only difference 
that I intend to make is, that I now offer you one-fourth 
instead of one-eighth. Silence gives consent,” continued 
Mr. Trevannion, as I did not immediately, reply. 

“ I was so astonished at your munificent offer, sir, that 
I could not well speak.” 

“ Then it’s agreed ; so say no more about it,” said 
Mr. Trevannion, taking me by the hand, and pressing it 
warmly — “ and now to business. My idea is, to send out 
the Sparrow-Hawk, being so fast a sailer. Of course, as 
a privateer, she has done her work ; and as the govern- 
ment wish the complement of the Arrow to be increased, 
I think we can not do better than to fill her up with some 
of the Sparrow-Hawk’s men, leaving about twenty-five 
on board of her, and sending her out as soon as possible 


i6o 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 


to the coast, with the articles which Captain Irving re- 
quests.” 

“ I agree with you, sir, that it will be the best plan.” 

“ But whom to send is the difficulty,” said Mr. Tre- 
vannion. “ Captain Paul, of the Chester Lass, is very 
ill, and not likely to be out of bed for some time ; and 
even if he were well, I have no opinion of nim in an af- 
fair of this moment. If, as Captain Irving says, he can 
fill the Amy, her cargo will be worth three times that of 
the Chester Lass ; but of course the destination of the 
Sparrow-Hawk must be a secret, and I do not know 
whom to intrust her to. We require some one in whom 
we can put confidence.” 

“ I agree with you, sir,” replied I ; “ and, if you have 
no objection, I think that the best plan will be for me to 
go myself ; I shall be back again in ten weeks at the 
furthest.” 

“ Well, as you will now have a strong interest in it, I 
really think so too. In fact, I don’t know whom else we 
can trust.” 

“ I agree with you, sir, and I will go myself, and 
I think the sooner the better ; but I do not know 
whether we can obtain all the goods requisite immedi- 
ately.” 

“ We can have them in five or six days,” replied Mr. 
Trevannion ; “ I sent Humphrey out to make inquiry.” 

“ At all events, I must look to them myself ; and there 
are many other things to manage, so I had better wish 
you a good-morning now, Mr. Trevannion, and in the 
evening I will call again, and let you know what I have 
done.” 

“ Do so,” said he, and I then took my leave. 

I certainly was very much astonished as well as much 
pleased at Mr. Trevannion’s liberality relative to the 
partnership, and I could now look forward to com- 
petency in a few years at the furthest. Certainly, if 
Mr. Trevannion had been hasty in his conduct toward 
me he had made most noble reparation. I first re- 
turned to the lodgings and told Captain Levee and 
Philip what had passed ; they immediately proposed 
that we should all go together on board the Sparrow- 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 


161 


Hawk, that I might make my arrangements, and that 
they might persuade some of the men to join the Arrow. 
I first picked out the men I wished to have sail with me ; 
and then they talked over the rest, who that evening 
went on shore for their wages, and the next morning 
joined the Arrow, as Captain Levee was anxious to get 
round to the Nore. The day after the men joined, the 
Arrow sailed, which I was not sorry for, as it left me 
more at leisure to expedite my own affairs. Philip 
promised to be my correspondent, and I bade them both 
farewell with regret. I called in the evening, as I had 
promised, upon Mr. Trevannion, and he then gave me the 
deed of partnership, signed and dated the day when he 
first made the offer, and we had quarreled ; but I did 
not see Miss Trevannion ; much to my regret, her father 
said that she was ailing. The business I had to transact, 
and fitting out the Sparrow-Hawk, so completely 
occupied me, that it was now three days that I had been 
at Liverpool without having seen her, and I was much 
annoyed at it, as I had called every day. My feelings 
toward her were now stronger than before. She was 
never out of my thoughts, and I hardly know how it was 
that I transacted business as I did. This evening I was 
determined, if possible, that I would see her, and find 
out why she avoided me, as it appeared to me she did. 
When I called, therefore, I did not ask to see her father, 
but told Humphrey to find out where Miss Trevannion 
was, and say that I requested to speak with her. Hum- 
phrey returned, and said that she was in the sitting-room, 
to which I instantly repaired. 

“ I am fearful that I have given you some uninten- 
tional cause of displeasure, Miss Trevannion,” said I, as 
I entered, “ for you have appeared to avoid me since my 
return.” 

“ Indeed, Mr. Musgrave, I have not,” replied she ; “ I 
was most anxious to see you, and have thought it very 
unpolite, I may add, unkind, on your part not to have 
come to me.” 

“ I have been in the house every day, and sometimes 
twice a day, with your father, Miss Trevannion, and have 
never met you. Once I inquired for you, and your father 


162 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 


told me you were unwell, whereas Humphrey had but 
five minutes before told me that you were well and in 
good spirits.” 

“ Humphrey told the truth, and so did my father. I 
was in good health and spirits, and in five minutes after- 
ward I was ill and unhappy.” 

“ I trust I was no party to it, Miss Trevannion.” 

“You were a party to it, but not the great offender, 
who was my father. He had told me that upon your 
return he had installed you as his partner, and had done 
you the justice you had deserved ; and then he told me 
that you were going out to the coast of Africa in the 
Sparrow-Hawk.” 

“ It is very true, Miss Trevannion ; but where is the 
offense ? ” 

“ The offense is this : my father no sooner does you 
justice than he wants more ivory and gold-dust, having 
more than enough already ; but I told him it was as bad 
as privateering, for in either case he sends people out to 
sacrifice their lives, that he may gain more money. I 
have no patience with this foolish pursuit of wealth.” 

“After all your father’s kindness to me, Miss Tre- 
vannion, I could do no less than accept the offer.” 

“ You would have been more wise and more just to 
yourself to have refused it, Mr. Musgrave. I read the 
letters to my father when they arrived, and you know 
what Captain Irving says about the unhealthiness of the 
climate. You have been my father’s best friend, and he 
should not have treated you thus'.” 

“ I never did value life, Miss Trevannion ; but really 
the kind interest you have expressed on this occasion 
makes me feel as if my poor life was of some value. To 
one who has been such a football of fortune as I have 
been, and who has hardly known a kind feeling toward 
him ever expressed, it is a gratification that I really appre- 
ciate, and, coming from one whom I respect and esteem 
more than any other person in the world, it quite over- 
powers me. Indeed, Miss Trevannion, I am truly 
grateful.” 

I was correct when I said that it overpowered me, for 
it did completely, and I was so oppressed by my feelings, 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 


163 


that I reeled to a chair, and covered up my tace with my 
hands. What would I have given to have dared to state 
what I felt ! 

“ You are ill, Mr. Musgrave,” said Miss Trevannion, 
coming to me. “ Can I offer you any thing ? ” 

I made no reply ; I could not speak. 

“ Mr. Musgrave,” said Miss Trevannion, taking my 
hand, “ you frighten me. What is the matter ? Shall I call 
Humphrey ? ” 

I felt her hand tremble in mine, and, uncertain what 
to think, I came to the resolution to make the avowal. 

“ Miss Trevannion,” said I, after a pause, and rising 
from my chair, “ I feel that this internal conflict is too 
great for me, and if it last it must kill me. I give you 
my honor that I have for months tried every thing in 
my power to curb my desires and to persuade myself of 
my folly and rash ambition, but I can not do so any 
longer. It were better that I knew my fate at once, 
even if my sentence should be death. You will ridicule 
my folly, be surprised at my presumption, and, in all prob- 
ability, spurn me for the avowal, but make it I must. 
Miss Trevannion, I have dared — to love you ; I have but 
one excuse to offer, which is, that I have been more than 
a year in your company, and it is impossible for any one 
not to love one so pure, so beautiful, and so good. I 
would have postponed this avowal till I was able to 
resume my position in society, by the means which 
industry might have afforded me ; but my departure 
upon this business, and the kind of presentiment which 
I have, that I may not see you again, has forced it from 
me. In a few days I leave you — be gentle with me for 
my involuntary offense — pity me while you condemn, and 
I will return no more.” 

Miss Trevannion did not reply ; she breathed quick, 
and stood motionless. I gathered courage ; I looked in 
her face, there was no displeasure — I approached her, 
she was half fainting, and put her hand upon my shoulder 
to steady herself. I put my arm round her waist, and 
led her to the sofa, and kneeled down at her feet, watching 
every change in her beautiful countenance. I took her 
hand and pressed it to my lips ; by degrees I became 


164 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 


more bold, and got by her side, and pressed her to my 
heart. She burst into tears, and wept with her head on 
my bosom. 

“ Do not be angry with me,” said I, after a time. 

“ Do I appear as if I was angry with you ? ” replied 
she, raising her head. 

“ Oh, no ; but I can not believe my happiness to be 
real. It must be a dream.” 

“ What is life but a dream ? ” replied she mournfully. 
“ Oh the coast of Africa ! How I dread it ! ” 

And so I confess did I from that moment ; I had a 
presentiment, as I had told her, that something would go 
wrong, and I could not get over the feeling. 

I shall no longer dwell upon what took place on that 
delightful evening, Madam ; suffice to say, that Miss 
Trevannion and I were mutually pledged, and, after an 
exchange of thought and feeling, we parted, and when 
we did part I pressed those dear lips to mine. I went 
home reeling with excitement, and hastened to bed, that 
I might have unrestrained freedom of thought. I enacted 
the scene of the evening over and over again ; recalled 
each motion, each look, every word which had passed, 
and, defying fever and presentiment of evil, imagined 
also our happy meeting to part no more. It was long 
before I could compose myself to sleep, and when I did, 
I need not say who it was that occupied my dreams. I 
called as soon as I could venture so to do on the follow- 
ing day, and had a long interview with my dear Amy. 
Before I went up to her father, I tried to soothe her 
anxiety upon my approaching voyage, and to persuade 
her that there was little or no danger to be apprehended 
in so short a stay. Willingly would I have given it up, 
but Mr. Trevannion had so set his mind upon it, and I 
had, by my consent, rendered it so impossible for him to 
find a substitute in time, that I could not do so, and I 
persuaded Miss Trevannion that I was right in acting to 
my promise. One question that came forward was, 
whether we should make known our engagement to her 
father at once, and this was decided in the negative. 
Much as he liked me, he was not yet prepared to receive 
me so suddenly as a son-in-law, and Amy was of opinion 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 


l65 

that the communication had better be postponed. To 
this, of course, I gave a willing assent. I was satisfied with 
the knowledge of her affection, which I felt would never 
change. As I was talking with her father, after my inter- 
view with Amy, he said : 

“ Really, Elrington, or Musgrave, I hardly know 
which to call you.” 

“ Musgrave is my real name, sir,” replied I. 

“ Musgrave— Musgrave— where did I know a Mus- 
grave ? ” 

“ We are from the north,” replied I. 

“ Well,” said he, “ I was going to say, that I really 
wish I could find some one else to take your place in this 
voyage, for I do not much like your going.” 

“ Do, my dear father,” said Miss Trevannion, who was 
standing by him. 

“ Hey ! Miss Amy, what have you to do with it, I should 
like to know, and how can it concern you whether Mr. 
Musgrave goes or not ? ” 

“ I said so, sir, because I know you will feel his loss for 
so long a period. You know how you did feel his loss 
before, and I do not wish to see you working so hard, as 
you will have to do without his assistance.” 

“ Well, that’s kindly thought, Amy, at all events ; but 
still I fear that Mr. Musgrave must go, and I must work 
by myself till he comes back ; so it’s no use saying any 
more about it.” 

Amy sighed and made no reply. On the third day 
after this interview, every thing was ready, and on the 
following morning I was to sail. Mr. Trevannion had so 
many directions to give, and kept me so wholly with him, 
that I could hardly find time to speak to his daughter. 
However, it was agreed that as I was to sail at daylight, 
that she would see me after her father had gone to bed. 
Our meeting took place — need I say that it was a tender 
one ? We renewed our vows over and over again, and it 
was not till past midnight that I tore myself away. Old 
Humphrey looked very knowingly at me when he let me out 
at the street-door, and I slipped a guinea in his hand and 
wished him good-by. I hastened on board of the Spar- 
row-Hawk, and, desiring to be called before daylight, 


i66 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 


went down into the cabin. There I remained sitting at 
the table and thinking of Amy so long, that when the 
mate came down to wake me he found that I was still 
sitting there, never having been to bed during the whole 
of the night. 

I started from my reverie and hastened on deck to get 
the schooner under weigh. It was soon done, although 
we were, comparatively speaking, short-handed. There 
was a fine breeze, and lightened as she now was, the little 
vessel flew through the water. Liverpool was soon out 
of sight, and we were dashing down the Irish Channel. 

“ She sails well now," said I to the second mate, a 
very clever man, and much better educated than most 
seamen, for he could navigate, as well as being a first- 
rate seaman. 

“Yes, sir," replied Olivarez, “she walks fast. She is 
not too deep now," replied he ; “ what a slaver she would 
make." 

This man was not an Englishman, but a Brazilian 
Portuguese by birth, although he had long been out of 
his country. Having set her course, I went down below, 
that I might indulge in my castle-building more at my 
ease. The wind increased to a gale, but as it was from 
the northward, and bore us to our destination, it was 
welcomed. We soon crossed the Bay of Biscay, and 
were in more genial latitudes ; and, after a rapid run of 
about four weeks, I found myself nearly in the latitude 
given to us of the river where the Amy was at anchor. 
I then hauled in for the shore, which was very low, and 
required being approached with caution. We saw some 
towering palm-trees at sunset, and then we hove to ; the 
next day we again stood in, and having ascertained our 
exact latitude at noon, we found ourselves about four 
miles to the northward of the river’s mouth. We shaped 
a course, and in two hours I made out the marks given 
for our guidance in the rough sketch of Captain Irving, 
and thus satisfied that I was right, ran directly for the 
mouth of the river. Captain Irving was correct in say- 
ing it was difficult, for it was not until we were within a 
mile that we could find any opening ; but at last we did, 
and at the same time perceived the masts of two vessels 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 


167 


at some distance up the river. We stood in, and found 
that there was no bar at the river* mouth, which was a 
very unusual circumstance on this coast. The soundings 
were gradual, and in an hour afterward we anchored 
between the Amy and a fine schooner under British 
colors. Captain Irving recognized the Sparrow-Hawk, 
and immediately came on board. After the usual saluta- 
tions, he told me that his vessel was half-laden, but that 
he waited for the articles he had sent for to enable him 
to complete his cargo. I told him that I had them on 
board, and he should have them as soon as he sent his 
boats. He stated that no vessels, except those engaged 
in the slave-trade, had ever come into this river, and that 
they only brought the cloth and other articles usual in 
the trade ; . but that his assorted cargo had astonished 
the people, and they were wild to possess things which 
they had never before seen. They had offered slaves in 
quantities, but finding that he would not take them in 
exchange, they had now brought down ivory and gold- 
dust. He told me how glad he was that I had come, as 
the river was very sickly, and was becoming more and 
more so every day ; that out of twelve men he had 
already four down with fever. 

I inquired of him what that vessel was on the other 
side of us. He replied it was a Liverpool slave-trader, 
and that the captain appeared to be a very good sort of 
man ; that he never indulged in liquor, nor was given to 
profane language. 

A few minutes afterward the captain of the slaver came 
on board to pay his respects, and I asked him down in 
the cabin, and gave him beer and cheese, the two greatest 
luxuries in those climes. He appeared, as Captain Irving 
stated, a quiet, well-behaved, serious person, which I was 
rather surprised at. When we repaired on deck, I 
observed, as the vessel was close to us, that there were 
two very large dogs on board, who, at the sight of the 
captain, bayed furiously. He told me that they were 
Cuba bloodhounds, and that he never went on shore with- 
out them, as they were the most faithful and courageous 
animals, and he considered that he was safer with them 
than with half a dozen armed men. Shortly afterward 


i68 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 


Captain Irving and he both took leave. As there were 
still some hours of daylight, Captain Irving sent his boats 
for the goods, and after that, as the evening fell, I went 
down below, as Captain Irving requested I would do, and 
by no means remain on deck after sun-down, as it was 
extremely unhealthy. 

On the following day Captain Irving went on shore 
with his goods and trafficked most favorably. Indeed, 
as we afterward found out, he had procured in exchange 
more ivory than his vessel would hold, besides much 
gold-dust. The day after, I went on shore with Captain 
Irving to call upon the king, as he called himself. He 
was seated in front of a hut made of palmetto leaves, with 
a lace coat on, but no other garment whatever, so that 
he made a curious appearance. After a little conversa- 
tion, I went away, and, hearing that the slaver was taking 
her cargo on board, about a hundred yards further up, 
I walked in that direction. The slaves were brought 
down in about twenty at a time, all of them fastened by 
the neck to a long bamboo pole, which confined them all 
together. One string of them had been sent down and 
put into the boat, and another was standing ready for 
embarkation ; when, as I cast my eyes over them and 
commiserated their misery, I observed a female whom I 
thought I had seen before. I looked again, and behold ! 
it was Whyna, the princess who had been so kind to me 
in my captivity. I went up to her and touched her on 
the shoulder. She turned round, as well as the lashing 
to the pole would permit her, and on seeing me gave a 
faint scream. Without ceremony I took out my knife 
and released her, and led her away. She fell down at my 
feet and kissed them. The black man who had charge 
of the delivery of the slaves was very angry, and ran up 
to me, brandishing his long stick ; but the captain of the 
schooner, who was on shore, and who had witnessed what 
I had done, saluted him with a kick in the stomach, which 
made him quiet enough. In few words I told the captain 
of the slaver that I was once in captivity, and this woman 
had befriended me, requesting him to name his price and 
I would willingly pay it. 

“ It’s not worth mentioning, sir,” replied he ; “ women 
are as cheap as dirt ; take her and welcome.” 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 


169 


“ Not so,” replied I ; “ I must pay for her ransom.” 

“ Well then, sir,” said he, “ I am in great want of a 
telescope ; you have one on board, will you let me have 
it?” 

“ Most certainly,” replied I, “ and many thanks into the 
bargain.” 

I lifted up the poor creature, who was sadly emaciated 
and weak, and led her to the boat of the Amy and put 
her in. Captain Irving came down, and we returned on 
board. It was with great difficulty that, after I had given 
the poor creature some refreshment, which she was really 
in need of, I could recollect sufficient of her language to 
make myself understood by her ; but by degrees words 
came to my memory, and as she spoke I recovered more. 
As well as I could make her out, the warriors had risen 
against the king on account of his barbarity, and had cut 
him to pieces ; and that all his wives and servants had 
been sold as slaves. I promised her that she should not 
be sold as a slave, but should come to my country and be 
taken care of. 

She kissed my hands, and as she smiled her thanks, she 
reminded me of the Whyna of former times. I did not, 
however, think it advisable that she should come on board 
of the schooner, and I requested Captain Irving to take 
charge of her, and let her want for nothing, telling him 
that I intended she should go home in his vessel. He 
willingly consented, and I hailed the schooner for a boat 
and went on deck. Whyna followed, but I told her I 
was obliged to go on board of the schooner, and that she 
had better go and lie down. As she probably thought 
that the Amy was my vessel, and that I was going away 
on a visit, she complied with my request, and went down 
with Captain Irving, who led her into a state-room which 
was not occupied. 

As soon as I arrived on board the schooner, I sent the 
telescope which the captain of the slaver had begged for. 
Whyna had said to me, “ I shall be your slave now,” evi- 
dently expecting that she was to remain with me, but that 
I could not consent to. MissTrevannion had heard from 
me my adventures when in captivity, and I would not on 
that account allow Whyna to be in the same vessel with 


170 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 


me. The next day Captain Irving came on board to tell 
me that he had two more men down with the fever, and 
that he wished I could give them some assistance in get- 
ting his cargo on board, which I did, and before night the 
Amy was loaded up to the hatchways, and there still 
remained a considerable number of elephants’ teeth on 
shore in the hut where he received them. I therefore 
determined, as his crew were evidently sickening fast, 
that he should sail immediately, and that I would take 
the remainder of the ivory on board of the schooner and 
follow him, giving him a rendezvous to wait at until I 
joined him, that we might proceed home in company. 
That night three of my men were ill. 

I was on board of the Amy, and had been talking with 
Whyna, who wanted to know why I did not sleep on 
board of the vessel. I told her that I could not, but that 
we were to go to England directly, and that I was living 
on board of the schooner. Captain Irving weighed at 
daybreak, and in an hour was out of the river, and as I 
was anxious to be clear of such an unhealthy spot, I 
manned my boats and went on shore for the ivory that 
was left. I found that it would take the whole of the 
day to embark it, as we had to go two miles further up 
the river than the depth of water would permit the vessel 
to do ; for the ivory was in a hut close to the king’s 
house. I had sent off four boat-loads, and it being then 
noon, I went off with the fifth myself, that I might get 
my dinner, leaving the second mate to attend on shore, 
and taking with me the first mate, who messed in the 
cabin. As we were in the middle of the stream, the 
boat struck against the stump of a tree, as we supposed, 
and knocked so large a hole in the bow that she began 
to fill. I immediately ordered the men to pull for the 
nearest point, which was on the opposite side of the 
river, that we might ground the boat to prevent her sink- 
ing. 

The first mate, who was a very active man, finding 
that the elephants’ teeth prevented his reaching the bow 
of the boat, and stuffing into it some oakum which he 
found in the stern sheets, sounded with the boat-hook, 
and finding that there was not more than three feet of 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 


171 


water where we were pulling, jumped over the bows to 
push the oakum into the hole ; but the poor fellow had 
not been a few seconds in the water, when he gave a 
shriek, and we perceived that a large shark had snapped 
him in two. This was a sad mishap, and the men, ter- 
rified, pulled as hard as they could, while two of them 
bailed out the boat, to gain the shore, for we knew what 
fate awaited us if we sunk in the river. With great exer- 
tion we succeeded in running her up among the canes, 
which grew on that side of the river so thick that it was 
difficult to force your way through them. 

We landed up to our knees in mud, and throwing out 
the ivory, we found that a whole plank was rent out, and 
that it was impossible to repair our boat ; and we were 
hidden by the canes from those whc could have 
assisted us, had they known that we required their assist- 
ance, and we had no possible means of communication. 
At last I thought that if I could force my way through the 
canes to the point down the river, I could hail and make 
signals for assistance ; and desiring the men to remain 
by the boat, I set off upon my expedition. At first I got 
on pretty well, as there were little paths through the 
canes, made, as I imagined, by the natives ; and although 
I was often up to my knees in thick black mud, I con- 
tinued to get on pretty fast ; but at last the canes grew 
so thick that I could hardly force my way through them, 
and it was a work of excessive labor. Still I per- 
severed, expecting each second that I should arrive at 
the banks of the river, and be rewarded for my fatigue ; 
but the more I labored the worse it appeared to be, and at 
last I became worn out with fatigue and quite bewildered. 
I then tried to find my way back, and was equally 
unsuccessful, and I sat down with any thing but pleasant 
thoughts in my mind. I calculated that I had been two 
hours in making this attempt, and was now quite puzzled 
how to proceed. I bitterly lamented my rashness, now 
that it was too late. 

Having reposed a little, I resumed my toil, and was 
again, after an hour’s exertion, compelled from fatigue, 
to sit down in the black mud. Another respite from toil, 
and another hour or more of exertion, and I gave myself 


172 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 


up for lost. The day was evidently fast closing in — the 
light overhead was not near so bright as it had been ; 
and I knew that a night passed in the miasma of the 
cane was death. At last it became darker and darker. 
There could not be an hour of daylight remaining. I 
determined upon one more struggle, and, reeking as I 
was with perspiration and faint with fatigue, I rose again, 
and was forcing my way through the thickest of the 
canes, when I heard a deep growl, and perceived a large 
panther not twenty yards from me. It was on the move 
as well as I was, attempting to force its way through the 
canes, so as to come to me. I retreated from him as fast 
as I could, but he gained slowly on me, and my strength 
was fast exhausting. I thought I heard sounds at a dis- 
tance, and they became more and more distinct, but what 
they were my fear and my struggles probably prevented 
me from making out. My eyes were fixed upon the 
fierce animal which was in pursuit of me, and now I 
thanked God that the canes were so thick and impassable ; 
still the animal evidently gained ground — until it was not 
more than five yards from me, dashing and springing at 
the canes, and tearing them aside with his teeth. 

The sounds were now nearer, and I made them out to 
be the howling of other animals. A moment’s pause, and 
I thought it was the baying of dogs ; and I then thought 
that I must have arrived close to where the schooner 
lay, and that I heard the baying of the bloodhounds. 
At last I could do no more, and I dropped exhausted 
and almost senseless, in the mud. I recollect hearing 
the crushing of the canes, and then a savage roar, and 
then yells, and growls, and struggles, and fierce conten- 
tions — but I had fainted. 

I must now inform the reader that about an hour after 
I had left the boat the captain of the slaver was pulling 
up the river, and was hailed by our men in our long-boat. 
Perceiving them on shore on that side of the river, and 
that they were in distress, he pulled toward them, and 
they told him what had happened, and that an hour 
previous I had left the boat to force my way through 
the cane-brakes, and they had heard nothing of me 
since. 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 


173 


“ Madness ! ” cried he. “He is a lost man. Stay till 
I come back from the schooner.” 

He went back to the schooner, and taking two of his 
crew who were negroes, and his two bloodhounds, into 
the boat, he returned immediately, and as soon as he 
landed he put the bloodhounds on my track, and sent 
the negroes on with them. They had followed me in all 
my windings, for it appeared that I had traveled in every 
direction, and had come up with me just as I had sunk 
with exhaustion, and the panther was so close upon me. 
The bloodhounds had attacked the panther, and this 
was the noise which sounded in my ears, as I lay stupefied 
and at the mercy of the wild beast. The panther was 
not easily, although eventually overcome, and the black 
men coming up had found me and borne me in a state 
of insensibility on board the Sparrow-Hawk. The fever 
had come on me, and it was not till three weeks after- 
ward that I recovered my senses, when I learned what I 
have now told the reader, and much more, with which I 
am about to make him acquainted. 

When I recovered my senses, I found myself in the 
cabin of the Sparrow-Hawk. For some hours I was con- 
fused and wandering, but I rallied from time to time, till 
I could at last recognize the beams and carlines over my 
head. I was too weak to move, and I continued to lie 
on my back till I again fell asleep ; how long I do not 
know, but it must have been for many hours, and then 
when I awoke I found myself much stronger. 

I could now turn on my bed, and doing so I perceived 
a young man of the name of Ingram by my side in a doze, 
with his eyes shut. I called him in a weak voice, and he 
started up. 

“ I have been very ill,” said I, “ have I not ? ” 

“ Yes, sir, indeed you have.” 

“ I have been trying to recollect all about it, but I 
can not as yet.” 

“ It’s not worth remembering, sir,” replied he. “ Do 
you wish any thing to drink ? ” 

“ No,” replied I. 

“ Then you had better go to sleep again.” 

“ I can not do that. I feel as if I should like to get up.. 
Where is Mr. Thompson ? I must see him.” 


174 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 


“ Mr. Thompson, sir,” replied he ; “ don’t you recol- 
lect ? ” 

« What ? ” 

“ Why, sir, he was bitten in two by a shark.” 

“ Shark ! ” this was the key-note required, and my 
memory returned. “Yes, yes, I recollect now all, all. I 
recollect the panther and the cane-brakes. How was I 
preserved ? ” 

“ The bloodhounds killed the panther, and you were 
brought on board insensible, and have been in a raging 
fever ever since.” 

“ It must be so,” replied I, collecting my senses after 
a few moments of thought. “ It must be so. How long 
have I been ill ? ” 

“ This is the twenty-first day.” 

“ The twenty-first day ! ” cried I. “ Is it possible ? Are 
none of the men ill ? ” 

“ No, sir, they are all well.” 

“ But I hear the water against the bends. Are we net 
still at anchor ? ” 

“ No, sir, the second mate got the schooner under 
weigh as he found you were so ill.” 

“ And I have been ill twenty-one days ! Why, we must 
be near home ? ” 

“ We expect to make the land in a few days, sir,” re- 
plied Ingram. 

“ Thank Heaven for all its mercies,” said I. “ I never 
expected to see old England again. But what a bad smell 
there is. What can it be ? ” 

“ I suppose it is the bilge-water, sir,” replied Ingram. 
“ People who are ill and weak always are annoyed by it ; 
but I think, sir, if you would take a little gruel, and then 
go to sleep again, it would be better.” 

“ Well, I fear I am not very strong, and talking so 
much has done me no good. I think I could take a little 
gruel.” 

“ Then, sir, I’ll go and get some made, and be back 
very soon.” 

“ Do, Ingram, and tell Mr. Olivarez, the second mate, 
that I would speak to him.” 

“Yes, I will,” replied the man, and he left the state* 
room. 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 


175 


I waited some time listening for the arrival of the sec- 
ond mate, and then I thought that I heard odd noises in 
the hold before the bulk-head of the state-room in which 
I was lying, but I was still very weak, and my head swam. 
After a time Ingram came down with the gruel, into which 
he put some sugar and a spoonful of rum, to flavor it, 
as he said. He offered it to me, and I drank it all, for I 
had an appetite ; but whether it was that I was very weak, 
or the rum he had put in was more than he said, it is certain 
that I had hardly given him back the basin than I felt so 
drowsy that I turned away from him, and was soon again 
in forgetfulness. 

This Ingram was a young man who had been appren- 
ticed to an apothecary, and had taken to the sea. He 
was well educated and a merry fellow, and I had chosen 
him as one who could attend upon me in the cabin, and 
at the same time be otherwise useful if required, as he was 
a very good seaman, and very active. When I awoke again 
I felt convinced that I must have slept through the night, 
as it was broad daylight, as before, but Ingram was not 
by my bedside. There was no bell in the state-room, and 
I was obliged to await his coming. I felt much stronger 
than the day before, and now proposed getting out of bed 
as soon as Ingram should come down into the cabin. I 
now remembered that the second mate had not come 
down to me, and heard noises and murmurings in the 
hold as I had the day previous, which surprised me, and I 
became more anxious for the return of Ingram. At last 
he came, and I told him that I had been awake more than 
an hour. 

“ How do you feel yourself, sir ? ” said he. 

“ Quite strong. I should like to get up and dress. 
Perhaps I may be able to get on deck for a quarter of an 
hour.” 

“ I think,” replied he, “ that you had better wait, and 
hear what I have to tell you, sir. I would not tell you 
yesterday, because I thought it would be too much for 
you ; but as I see you are really better to-day, I must say 
that I have strange things to tell you.” 

“ Indeed ! ” cried I, with surprise. “ Strange things. 
By the by, why did not Olivarez come to me yesterday ? " 


176 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 


“ I will explain all to you, sir, if you will lie down 
and listen to what I have to say, and take the news 
quietly.” 

“ Very well, Ingram, I will do so. Now, pray, go on.” 

“You were brought on board in a state of fever and 
insensibility by the captain of the slaver. He said, as he 
lifted you over the side, that you were a dead man. We 
all thought the same, atid you were taken down into the 
cabin with that persuasion on the part of the whole crew. 
Your delirium and fever increased, and every hour it 
was expected that you would give up the ghost. Now, 
sir, two days afterward the slaver sailed with his cargo, 
and we were left alone in the river. Olivarez, who of 
course commanded, talked to the men. He said that you 
were as good as dead already, and that he thought that 
this was a fair opportunity for their making money. He 
proposed that'the ivory still on shore should be changed 
for slaves, which he said the negroes would gladly do, 
and that we should run with our cargo to the Brazils. 
He said that it would be useless our remaining in the 
river, as we should all lose our lives in the same way you 
had done, and that he thought, as commanding the 
schooner, he knew what would best please the owner, who 
had long employed vessels in the slave-trade, and would 
not be sorry to find that we had run a cargo, and would 
reward them all liberally. That this would be an excuse 
to leave the river immediately, whereas otherwise they 
would have to wait until you recovered or died, and by 
that time they might half of them be dead themselves. 
Do you understand me, sir ? ” 

“Yes, perfectly. Go on, Ingram.” 

“Well, sir, the men did not perceive what he was 
about, and replied that so long as they left the river 
they did not care how soon, and that it was better that we 
should take a cargo of. slaves at all events, for Olivarez 
was in command now, and they should do as he ordered 
them. I made no reply, indeed Olivarez never put the 
question to me. Well, sir, the ivory was soon exchanged 
for slaves, who are now on board, and it is the slaves 
whom you have smelled and complained of. We received 
on board 140, and provisions sufficient with what we had 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 


177 


and, having taken in all the water we could, below and on 
deck, we made sail out of the river, and have since 
steered for the Brazils.” 

“ But Olivarez has taken a most unwarrantable respon- 
sibility,” said I ; “ and one that he shall answer for.” 

“ Stop, sir,” replied Ingram, “you have only heard the 
first part of the story. When we had been three days at 
sea, Olivarez, who had been talking to the men one by 
one and apart, called them together, and said, it was an 
opportunity not to be lost, that they had possession of 
the vessel, and the owner would never have a clew to 
where she had gone, and that now was the time to take 
possession of her for themselves, and employ her in the 
slave-trade on their own account. That, sailing so fast, 
nothing could overhaul her or board her, and, therefore, 
they were free from danger. He then proposed that he 
should command and navigate, and receive one-half of 
the profits, and that the other half should be divided 
among the crew — the expenses of the provisions, etc., 
being paid out of it previous to their sharing and making a 
calculation ; he showed them that every voyage would be 
worth about ^100 a man after all expenses were paid. 
The crew consented at once to the terms — all but me ; 
and when he asked me, my answer was, that I would 
consent to nothing while you were yet alive. I said that, 
because I was afraid that they would murder me, or 
throw me overboard.” 

“ Go on, Ingram ; go on, and let me hear it all at once.” 

“ ‘ Then you will be soon freed from your difficulty,’ 
said Olivarez. 

“ ‘ I don’t know that, sir,’ I replied, * for I think Mr. 
Musgrave may get over it.’ 

“ ‘ Indeed,’ he returned, ‘ well, then, so much the worse 
for him.’ 

“ As he, Olivarez, said this, the whole of the crew, to 
do them justice, cried out that there should be no mur- 
der, for if there was, they not only would have nothing 
to do with the affair, but would make it known at the 
first port to which they came. That you had always 
been a kind, good officer, and were too brave a man to 
die in that way.” 


i 7 8 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 


“ ‘ Well, my men,’ said Olivarez, ‘ I never had an idea 
of the kind, and I promise you if he lives through it, there 
will be no murder ; I will put him on shore at the first 
port we arrive at, but in such a way as to secure our 
safety — that we must look to.’ 

“ The men said that that was all right, and then they 
all agreed to join him.” 

— “ ‘ And you, Ingram,’ said Olivarez ; ‘ what do you 
say ? ’ 

“ ‘ What I said before,’ I replied ; ‘ that as long as Mr. 
Musgrave lives I will come to no agreement whatever.’ 

“ ‘ Well,’ said Olivarez, ‘ it is but postponing your 
decision ; I know that you will join us. So, my lads, as 
we’re all agreed, we may as well go to dinner.’ ” 

“ The scoundrel shall pay for this,” cried I. 

“ Hush, sir, hush, I pray ; say nothing, but wait 
patiently and see what turns up. We are not yet at Rio, 
and when we are we may be able to do something, but 
every thing depends upon keeping quiet, for if the men 
become alarmed, they may be persuaded to kill you to 
save themselves.” 

“ That is very true, Ingram,” replied I. “ Leave me 
now for half an hour, I wish to be alone.” 

You may imagine, my dear Madam, my agitation at 
hearing this intelligence. I, who had thought that I 
was within a few days’ sail of Liverpool, to be there 
received by my precious Amy, to find myself in the hands 
of pirates, and close to the Brazils with a cargo of slaves ; 
which they, or rather Olivarez, had taken in the vessel 
to Rio that he might not be discovered ; for he might 
have found a better mart for his live cargo. And then 
what would be the anxiety of Amy and her father when 
I was not heard from ? It would be supposed that the 
schooner was upset in a squall, and all hands had per- 
ished. Excited and angry as I was, I felt the truth of 
what Ingram said, and that it was necessary to be quiet. 
Perhaps I might by that means not only preserve my 
life, but again find myself in my own country. When 
Ingram returned, I asked him if Olivarez knew that I 
was better, and had recovered my reason. He replied 
that he did, but that he had told him I was so weak that 
I could hardly recover. 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 1 79 

“ That is well,” said I ; “ keep him in that belief as 
long as you can.” 

He now offered me more gruel, which I took, and I 
believe that he put an opiate in it, for shortly after I had 
taken it I again felt drowsy, and was soon fast asleep. I 
awoke sooner than before, for it was night, and I heard 
the voice of Olivarez on deck ; from what I gathered, 
land was in sight, and I heard him order the schooner to 
be hove to. In the morning Ingram came down in the 
cabin, bringing me some breakfast, which I ate heartily, 
'or I was recovering fast, and had become quite ravenous. 

“ Lan^I is in sight,” said I. 

“ Yes, sir, it is ; but we are many miles to the north- 
ward of Rio, I understand, for Olivarez knows the coast 
well. We shall not be in to-day, if we are to-morrow.” 

“ I feel quite strong now,” replied I, “ and I want to 
get up.” 

“ Do so, sir,” said he ; “ but if you hear any one coming 
down the ladder get into bed again.” 

With Ingram’s assistance I dressed myself, and went 
into the cabin. I reeled as I walked, but as soon as I 
felt the cool breeze from the stern-ports I was revived, 
and in an hour I could walk quite strong. 

“ Have you heard any more ? ” inquired I of Ingram. 

“ Olivarez asked me this morning how you were. I 
replied that you were recovering fast. 

“ * Very well,’ said he, ‘ you will share his fate, whatever 
it may be, since you have been so careful of him, and have 
put us in such a dilemma ; but I’ll contrive to dispose of 
you both.’ 

“ I made no reply, sir, as I knew that would only irri- 
tate him.” 

“ You did right, Ingram ; a few days will decide our 
fate. I do not think that he dares to murder us.” 

“ Nor do I think he wishes it, if he can be clear of us 
with safety to himself,” replied Ingram. 

Two more days passed away, and then Ingram told me 
that we were a few miles from the town, and should soon 
be at anchor. 

“ Go softly,” replied I, “ and tell me what is going 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 


180 

He went up the ladder, but soon came down again, 
saying, “ We are locked in, sir.” 

I was very much annoyed at this, but it could not be 
helped — our only remedy was patience ; but I must corn 
fess that I was in a state of great anxiety. We heard the 
anchor let go, and boats came on board, after which all 
was silent for the night. The next morning we heard 
them open the hatches, and the slaves were ordered upon 
deck. The day was passed in landing them. I was rav- 
enously hungry, and asked Ingram whether they intended 
to starve us. He went up the ladder to call for victuals, 
when he found on the upper step of the ladder a large 
vessel full of water and some cooked provisions, which 
had probably been put there during the night. There 
was enough to last two or three days. The next day 
passed and no one came near us, and I had some thoughts 
of dropping out of the stern-ports and attempting to swim 
on shore ; but Ingram, who had put his head out of them 
as far as he could, told me that we must be at some dis- 
tance from the shore, and there were several sharks play- 
ing round the stern, as is always the case with vessels 
laden with slaves. 

The next morning, however, put an end to our suspense ; 
for the companion was unlocked, and Olivarez, accom- 
panied by four Portuguese, came down into the cabin. 
He spoke to them in Portuguese, and they advanced, and, 
seizing Ingram and me by the collar, led us up the ladder. 
I would have expostulated, but of course could not make 
myself understood. Olivarez, however, said, 

“ Resistance is useless, Mr. Musgrave ; all you have to 
do is to go quietly with these men. As soon as the 
schooner has sailed, you will be released.” 

“Well,” replied I, “it may be so, Olivarez ; but mark 
my words, you will repent this, and I shall see you on a 
gibbet.” 

“ I trust the wood is not yet out of the ground,” replied 
he ; “but I can not waste any more words with you.” 

He then spoke to the Portuguese, who appeared to be 
government officers of some kind, and they led us to the 
gangway ; we went into the boat, and they pulled us to 
the shore. “ Where can they be taking us, Ingram ? ” 
said I. 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 


181 


“ Heaven knows, sir, but we shall find out.” 

I attempted to speak to the officers, but they cried 
“ Silentio ,” which word I fully understood to mean 
“ silence,” and, finding that I could not induce them to 
hear me, I said no more. We landed at a jetty, and were 
then led through the streets to a large square. On one 
side of it was a heavy building, to which they directed 
their steps. The door was opened for us, and we were 
led in. A paper was produced by our conductors, and 
was apparently copied into a book, after which they went 
away, leaving us with the people who had received us’ 
and who, by their appearance, I knew to be gaolers. 

“ Of what crime am I accused ? ” inquired I. 

No reply was given, but two of the subordinates took 
us away, unlocked a massive door, and thrust us into a 
large court-yard, full of men of every color. 

“ Well,” said I, as the door closed upon us, “we are in 
gaol at all events ; but the question now is, shall we be 
released as Olivarez had stated ? ” 

“ It is hard to say,” replied Ingram. “ The question is, 
what gaol is this ? Could we find any one who could 
speak English, we might discover.” 

Several of those around us had come toward us to 
examine us, and then left us, when, as we were con- 
versing, a negro came up, and, hearing what we said, 
addressed us in English. 

“ Massa want one to speak English — I speak English 
— some long while on board English vessel.” 

“ Well, then, my good fellow,” said I, “ can you tell us 
what this gaol is, and what prisoners are confined here 
for ? ” 

“ Yes, massa, every body know that, suppose he live at 
Rio. This gaol for people that go dig diamonds.” 

“ How do you mean ? ” 

“ Mean ! massa — people sent here to work in diamond- 
mines all life long till they die. Keep ’em here till hab 
plenty to send up all at one time. Then guard take them 
up the country, and they go dig and wash for diamond. 
Suppose you find very big diamond, you go free. Sup- 
pose not, den you die there.” 

“ Merciful Heavens ! ” cried I to Ingram, “ then we are 
condemned as slaves to the mines.” 


182 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 


“ Yes,” replied Ingram with a sigh. “ Well, it’s better 
than working in the quicksilver-mines. At all events, we 
shall have fresh air.” 

“ Fresh air without liberty,” cried I, clasping my 
hands. 

“ Come, sir, courage, we do not yet know our fate. Per- 
haps we may, as ©livarez said, be allowed to go free after 
the schooner sails.” 

I shook my head, for I was convinced otherwise. 


CHAPTER XVI. 

The Diamond-Mines, and what occurred there — I lose my friend 

Ingram, and another acquaintance, but they both leave me valua- 
. ble Legacies. 

After remaining in the court about two hours, it being 
then near to nightfall, the gaolers came out into the yard, 
and we were all driven into a large apartment, the walls of 
which were of such solid materials, and the floor of large 
flag-stones, as to prevent any possibility of escape. I was 
never in such a scene of filth and wretchedness. There 
was not a spot where one could be driven without being 
defiled in some way or another ; and so many human 
being — one half of whom were negroes — being crowded 
into so small a space, with only one barred window, so high 
up as only to serve as a ventilator, created an atmosphere 
worse than any slave-vessel’s hold. I leaned with my 
back against the wall, and, I must say, never was so mis- 
erable in my life. I thought of Amy, and my sanguine 
hopes and anticipations of happiness, now all wrecked. I 
thought of Captain Levee and my brother Philip career- 
ing over the seas, free as the wind. I thought of poor 
Whyna, and the distress she must feel at finding I did not 
rejoin her. I planned a hundred schemes to make known 
my situation, but every scheme, as soon as I weighed it, I 
found was hopeless. Still weak from previous disease, I 
felt as if I should be suffocated if I remained long in this 
pestiferous abode, and I wept like a child. Daylight 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 


183 


came at last, and soon afterward the door was opened ; 
we were admitted into the yard, and all hastened to the 
large tub of water, which was soon emptied. The fight- 
ing and scrambling to obtain first possession was really re- 
volting. An hour afterward some coarse provisions were 
served out, and then we learned, to our great delight, that 
we were immediately to set out for the mines. It would 
be thought that this could be no cause for exultation ; we 
were about to go to pass the rest of our lives in bondage ; 
but all misery is comparative, and sooner than have re- 
mained another night in that dreadful hole, I would have 
welcomed any change. About an hour afterward a guard 
of dirty-looking soldiers came in ; we were all handcuffed 
to a long chain, at about two feet apart, one on each side, 
so that we walked in pairs, and as soon as the first chain 
was full — and I was handcuffed to it — we were ordered 
out into the square to wait for the others. My superior 
dress and appearance as an Englishman excited much 
curiosity ; people pointed to me and made remarks, but I 
had no opportunity of communicating with any of the 
authorities, nor would it have been of any use if I had had. 
We remained there more than an hour, as the other 
chains of prisoners came out one by one ; we were five 
chains in all, about forty on a chain. We were then 
ordered to move on, walking between a guard of about 
twenty or thirty soldiers, who marched, on each side of us, 
with their muskets and bayonets fixed, about three yards 
from each other. In another hour we were clear of the 
town, and threading our way through a lane bounded on 
each side by prickly pears and other shrubs. There was 
no want of merriment among the party ; they talked and 
laughed with one another and the soldiers who guarded 
them, and appeared to care little for their fate. As for 
me, I was broken-hearted with the disgrace and the vil- 
lainous manner in which I had been thus sacrificed. My 
heart was full of bitterness, and I could gladly have lain 
down and died, had I not been still buoyed up with some 
faint hope that I should have an opportunity of making 
my position known, and obtain my release. I will pass 
over the journey, as one day was but the forerunner of the 
other. We halted at noon, and were supplied with fruit 


184 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 


and maize, but we were never unchained, day or night. In 
a short time I was like all the rest — covered with vermin, 
and disgusting to myself. It was, I think, between four 
and five weeks before we arrived at our destination, 
which was in the district of Tejuco, and the locality 
of the diamond mines was called the Sierra de Espinhaco. 
This sierra, or mountain, was a ridge of inaccessible 
precipices on each side of a narrow valley, traversed by a 
small river called the Tequetinhonha, and in this valley, 
and in the bed of the river, were the diamonds found, for 
which we were condemned to toil for the remainder of our 
days. As we entered the ravine, I perceived how impos- 
sible it would be to escape, even if a person could find his 
way back, after having succeeded in his escape. For many 
miles the road was a narrow path cut on the side of the 
mountain, a yawning precipice below and inaccessible 
rocks above, and this narrow way was at every two miles 
blocked up by a guard-house built upon it, and through 
the portcullis of which it would be necessary to force a 
way. And here we were, thousands of miles away from 
civilized life, in the heart of a country uninhabited except 
by occasional bands of Indians. At last we filed through 
the last of the guard-houses, and found ourselves in a 
wider part of the ravine, which was crowded with build- 
ings of various descriptions. We were led up to the 
director’s house, and our names, persons and descriptions 
were taken down by a clerk. When my turn came, and I 
was asked in Portuguese who I was, I shook my head, and 
replied “ Ingles.” An interpreter was called, and I then 
stated my name and begged the director would hear what 
I had to say. He shook his head, and, after they had 
taken my description, desired me to go away. 

“ Why did you not explain for me ? ” said I to the in- 
terpreter. 

“ Because he won’t hear what you have to say ; if he 
would, every man on the chain would attempt to prove 
that he was sent here by mistake. You may by and by 
find an opportunity to speak to him, that is, after you have 
learned Portuguese, and have been here a year or two ; 
but it will do no good.” 

During the whole of the journey I had been separated 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 


185 

from Ingram, and now, for the first time since we left 
prison, I had an opportunity of shaking him by the hand. 
I need not say how glad I was to meet again my com- 
panion in misfortune, and our only fear was now, that 
we should be again separated ; but such was not the 
case. There were regular lodgings or barracks for the 
slaves, which were certainly not bad ; but as all escape 
was considered impossible, any one who chose to raise a 
little hut for himself out of the bushes which grew on 
the rocks was permitted so to do. The hours of work 
were regular ; we were allotted out in gangs, which took 
up a certain square of the river, or river’s side ; we 
worked from daylight till near dusk, with only an hour 
allowed for repose in the heat of the day. There was a 
superintendent over each gang of twenty, who watched 
them and made them work. These superintendents were 
controlled by inspectors, who had the charge of four or 
five gangs, and who brought into the director the prod- 
uce of the day’s toil. The work was simple. The sand 
and alluvial soil were thrown into troughs with small 
sieve bottoms, out of which escaped all the smaller mat- 
ter, when it was washed with the water from the river. 
The stones and larger particles were then carefully ex- 
amined, and any diamonds found were taken out and 
delivered to the superintendents, who then made them 
over to the inspectors, when they came round. The in- 
spectors carried them to their houses (for they had 
houses from government), and in the evening delivered 
every diamond to the director. After a short time I 
found that the office of superintendent, and also of in- 
spector, was open to any of the slaves who conducted 
themselves well ; and that the whole of those now em- 
ployed in the offices were slaves for life, as well as our- 
selves. What puzzled me was, how so many people, for 
in all we amounted to seven hundred or more, were to 
be found in food ; but I afterward discovered that the 
government had farms and herds of cattle at a few miles’ 
distance, cultivated by slaves and Indians expressly for 
the purpose. Our rations were scanty, but we were per- 
mitted to cultivate, as well as we could, any spot we could 
find on the arid side of the mountain as a garden ; and 


1 86 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 


some of them, who had been there for many years, had, 
in course of time, produced a good soil, and reared 
plenty of vegetables. To my surprise, I found at least 
twenty Englishmen among the whole mass of slaves ; 
and one or two of them were inspectors, and several of 
them superintendents — saying much in favor of my coun- 
trymen. Their conversation and their advice tended 
much to soothe the hardships of my captivity, but I found 
from them that any hopes of ever leaving the mines were 
useless, and that our bones must all be laid by the side 
of the mountain. Of course, Ingram and I were insep- 
arable ; we worked in the same gang, and we very soon 
built a hut for ourselves ; and Ingram, who was a light- 
hearted young man, set to work to make a garden. He 
moved heavy stones on the sides of the mountain, and 
scraped up all the mold he could find ; sometimes he 
would get his handkerchief full, but not often ; but as he 
said, every little helped. He killed lizards for manure, 
and with them and leaves he made a little dung-heap, 
which he watered, to assist putrefaction. Every thing 
that would assist, he carefully collected ; and by degrees 
he had sufficient for a patch of four or five yards square. 
This he planted ; and with the refuse made more ma- 
nure ; and in the course of a few months, by incessant 
activity and assisted by me, he had a very tolerable patch 
of ground covered with this manure and the alluvial soil 
washed out by the diamond-seeking, mixed up together. 
We then obtained seeds, and grew vegetables like the 
rest, and this proved a great increase to our comforts — 
that is, our bodily wants ; but my mind was far away. 
Amy Trevannion was never out of my thoughts, and I 
fell into a deep melancholy. I worked hard at my voca- 
tion, and was fortunate enough to find some good dia- 
monds, long before I had been a year at the mines. 
Having acquired the Portuguese language, I was soon 
after raised to the office of superintendent. I now no 
longer worked, but overlooked others, with a cane in my 
hand to administer punishment to those who neglected 
their business. I can not say that I liked the change ; I 
was not so miserable when I was employed, but I did 
my duty w : th diligence. Ingram was in my gang, and 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 


I8 7 


another Englishman, an old man — I should think not 
less than seventy years old. He told me that he be- 
longed to a merchant vessel, and in a drunken brawl 
a Portuguese had been killed ; he and two others 
had been condemned to the mines, but the others 
were dead long ago. About a month after my eleva- 
tion, this old man, who was very feeble, and whom I 
treated with great kindness on account of his age — ex- 
acting no more than I thought he could well perform — 
fell sick. I reported him as being really ill, and Ingram, 
who was by no means a bad doctor, told me that he 
would die. A few hours before his death, he sent for me 
to his hut, and, after thanking me for my kindness to 
him, he said that he knew he was dying, and that he 
wished to leave me all his property (which the slaves are 
permitted to do), that is, he left me his garden, which 
was the best on the Sierra, his hut, which also was a very 
good one, and then, putting his hand under the leaves 
which formed his bed, he pulled out a tattered, thumbed 
book, which he told me was a Bible. 

“ At first I read,” said he, “ to pass away time in this 
melancholy place, but of late I have read it, I hope, to a 
better purpose.” 

I thanked the poor man for his present, and wished 
him good-by. A few hours afterward he was dead, and 
Ingram and I buried him by the side of the mountain. 
Shortly afterward our inspector died, and, to my aston- 
ishment, I was put into his place. I could not imagine 
why I was thus fortunate in being promoted, but I after- 
ward found out that, although I had never but casually 
seen her, I was indebted for my good fortune to a fancy 
which the director’s eldest daughter (for he had his fam- 
ily with him) had taken for me. 

This was singular, for I had never spoken to her, and, 
what is more strange, I never did speak to her, nor did 
she ever attempt to speak to me, so that it was wholly 
disinterested on her part. I had now still less to do, and 
was in constant communication with the director, and 
one day stated to him how it was that I had been brought 
there. He told me that he believed me, but could not 
help me, and after that the subject was never again men* 


i88 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 


tioned between us. Having little to do, I now took up 
the Bible given me by the old Englishman, as I had time 
to read it, which I had not before, when I was employed 
the whole day ; but now I had a convenient cottage, as 
I may call it, of my own, and plenty of leisure and retire- 
ment. 

I studied the Bible carefully and found much comfort 
in it. Not that I was content with my lot — that I never 
could be while I was separated from Amy — but still I 
found much consolation, and I became, to a certain de- 
gree, resigned. I thought of my former life with disgust, 
and this second reading of the Bible, for the reader may 
recollect that the first took place when I was first con- 
fined in the Tower, was certainly of great advantage to 
me. I had more time to dwell upon it — more time for 
reflection and self-examination — and every day I reaped 
more advantage and became more worthy of the name 
of Christian. I now prayed fervently, and I think my 
prayers were heard, as you, my dear Madam, will also 
think as I continue my narrative. About three months 
after I had been appointed an inspector, Ingram was 
taken ill. At first he complained of disordered bowels, 
but in a few days inflammation came on, which ended in 
mortification. He was in great agony until the mor- 
tification took place, when he obtained comparative 
relief. 

“ My dear Mr. Musgrave,” he said, as I was at his 
bedside, “ in a few hours I shall have escaped from the 
mines, and be no more in bondage. I shall follow the 
poor old Englishman, who left you his executor. I am 
about to do the same. I shall now make my will ver- 
bally, as we have no writing-materials here, and leave you 
all I possess.” 

“ Why are you not more serious, Ingram,” I said, “ at 
such a moment as this ? ” 

“ I am most serious,” he replied. “ I know that in a 
few hours I shall be no more, and I trust in the mercy 
of Him who died for kings and for slaves ; but, Musgrave, ' 
I have a secret to tell you. Do you recollect the story 
in the fairy tales of the little white cat whose head was 
obliged to be cut off, and who then turned into the most 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 


189 

beautiful princess in the world ? Well, my secret is some- 
thing like hers.” 

I thought, by his continuing in this strain, that his 
head was wandering. I was about to speak to him, 
when he continued : 

“ Do you know what has occasioned my death ? I will 
tell you the secret. I was washing for diamonds, when 
I found one of a size which astonished me. I knew it 
was of great value, and I did not choose that the King 
of Portugal should receive such a benefit from my hands. 
I put it into my mouth to secrete it, hardly knowing 
what I should do afterward, but I was thinking how I 
should act, when one of the superintendents passing 
(that crabbed old Portuguese belonging to the next gang), 
and seeing me idle and in deep thought, he struck me 
with his cane such a smart rap on the shoulders, that he 
not only made me jump out of my reverie, but the dia- 
mond went down my throat. I’m sure if I had tried to 
swallow it I could not have done so, but the shock forced 
it down. Well, this has occasioned my death, for it has 
remained in my stomach and occasioned the stoppage, 
which has ended in inflammation and mortification. I 
feel it here even now ; give me your finger, don’t you 
feel it ? Well, now you understand why I talked of the 
little white cat. Don’t cut off my head, but when I am 
dead, just put your knife down there and take out the 
diamond and bury it, for I tell you — and they say dying 
men see clearer than others — but that I am certain you 
will be released from these mines, and then the diamond 
will be a fortune to you, and you will find that being my 
executor was of some value to you. Now, pray — no 
scruple — I entreat it as a last favor, promise me that you 
will do as I wish — pray promise me, or I shall die un- 
happy.” 

I could not help promising him to execute his wishes, 
he appeared so earnest and asked it as a last favor, but 
I felt very repugnant at the idea. In another hour poor 
Ingram breathed his last, and I was most melancholy at 
the loss of so worthy a friend, who had by serving me 
been subjected to the same slavery as myself. I left the 
hut and went to my own house, thinking over the strange 


190 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 


communication that had been made to me. And why, 
thought I, should I obtain this diamond ? I have no 
chance of leaving this ; yet, who knows, Ingram prophe- 
sied in his dying moments that I should — well, at all 
events, I will keep my promise to the poor fellow. I 
reported his death to the director, and, about an hour 
afterward, went to the hut where he lay. His counte- 
nance was placid, and I looked at him for a long while, 
and queried whether he was not happier than I was or 
ever could be. But, to comply with his request — I could 
not bear the idea. I did not want the diamond, and I, 
who in my early career had thought nothing of cutting 
and maiming the living man, now shuddered at the idea 
of making an incision in a dead body. But there was 
no time to be lost, the burials always took place at sun- 
set, and it was near the hour. I bent a piece of bamboo 
cane double, like a pair of sugar-tongs, and then putting 
my finger to the part of his stomach which he had 
pointed out, I felt that there was a hard substance, and 
I made an incision with my knife — probing with the 
blade. I touched the diamond, and then, using the 
piece of cane as a pair of pincers, I contrived, after one 
or two attempts, to extract it. I threw the diamond 
without examination into a pan of water which stood by 
the bed, and, covering up the body, I made a hole in the 
floor of the hut and buried the knife, which I felt I never 
could use again. 

I looked out of the hut and perceived two of the 
slaves, who performed that office, coming toward me to 
take away the body. I desired them to carry it leaving 
the clothes on, followed them, and saw it deposited in 
the earth ; after which I read prayers over the grave, 
and could not refrain from shedding many tears to the 
memory of my faithful associate. I then returned to 
the hut, and taking the pan of water in my hand went 
to my abode. I could not bear to touch the diamond, 
but I dared not leave it where it was ; so I poured all 
the water out of the pan, and • then rolled the diamond 
out on the floor, which was of hardened clay. I saw at 
once that it was one of great value, weighing, I should 
think, thirteen or fourteen grammes , and of a very pure 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 


I 9 I 

water. It was in the form of an obtuse octohedron, and 
on one side was quite smooth and transparent. Having 
made this examination, I picked up some of the clay 
with a piece of iron, and rolling the diamond into the 
hole, I jammed the clay down over it. “ There,” said I, 
“ you may remain till doomsday, or till some one finds 
you ; you will be of no use to me ; ” and I thought of 
the cock in the fable. My tattered Bible caught my eye, 
and I said to it, “ You are of more value than all the 
diamonds in the world ; ” and I only uttered what I felt. 

For a long time I mourned for Ingram, and thought 
nothing of the diamond. Three months more passed 
away, and I had been eighteen months in the mines, 
when some visitors made their appearance — no less than 
one of the principals of the Jesuit order, who had been 
sent by the king of Portugal out to the Brazils, on a tour 
of inspection, as it was called, but in fact to examine 
into the state of affairs, and the way in which the gov- 
ernment revenue was collected. There had lately been 
so much peculation on the part of the various officers, 
that it was considered necessary to make minute inquiry. 
A Portuguese nobleman had been sent out the year 
before, but had died shortly after his arrival, and there 
was every reason to suppose that he had been poisoned, 
that the inquiry might be got rid of. Now this Jesuit 
priest had been sent out, probably because a Portuguese, 
who thought little of poisoning and stabbing a layman, 
would not dare to attempt the life of so sacred a charac- 
ter. Having full and extraordinary powers, he had 
made a short inquiry into the different departments of 
government, and had now come to the mines to ascer- 
tain how far the delivery of the diamonds at the treas- 
ury agreed with the collection at the mines ; for these 
mines had usually produced from a million to a million 
and a half of revenue. The director was in a great fuss 
when he heard of this arrival at the further barrier ; 
although immediately announced to him, he had scarcely 
an hour to prepare before the superior of the Jesuits 
arrived with his suite, consisting of about twenty people, 
and fifty or sixty sumpter mules and riding-horses. We 
were all called out to receive him, that is, all the inspect- 


192 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 


ors. I went to attend the parade, and awaited with 
much indifference ; but my feelings were soon changed, 
when in this superior of the Jesuits I beheld the Catho- 
lic priest who had visited me in the Tower and obtained 
my release. The superior bowed to the director and to 
all around him, and as he then looked at us all he rec- 
ognized me immediately. 

“ You here, my son ? ” said he. 

“ Yes, holy father,” replied I, “ and I thank Heaven 
that your arrival will enable me to prove my innocence.” 

“ Pray how is this ? ” said he. 

In a few words I narrated my story. 

“ And you were thrown into prison without being per- 
mitted to defend yourself ? ” 

“ Even so, good father, and sent to the mines to slave 
for life.” 

“ Did you not make known your case to the director of 
the mines? ” 

“ I did, sir, but he stated that he pitied me, but could 
not help me.” 

“ Is this the case, Mr. Director ? ” said the Jesuit, 
severely. 

“ It is, sir,” replied the director ; “ I have more than 
once reported cases of what appeared to me great hard- 
ship, if what those condemned have said was true, and 
have been told that I was too officious, and that there 
could be no reversal of sentence. I can prove to you, 
sir, by my journals and letter-books, how many cases I 
did formerly attempt to bring before the government ; 
but I at last received such replies, which I can show you, 
as will prove that there has been no fault of mine.” 

“ Allow me to add, holy father,” said I, “ that the 
kindness and consideration of the director have been 
very great to all those under his charge, and I think it 
very fortunate that such a person has been appointed to 
this situation, as he has done every thing that has been 
in his power to alleviate the miseries of bondage.” 

“ I am glad to hear you say so, Mr. Elrington. Mr. 
Director, this gentleman is a dear friend of mine ; let 
him instantly be released. My orders are not to be dis- 
puted by the viceroy himself.” 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 


193 


The superior then embraced me cordially, and told me 
that I was free, and should return with him to Rio. 
Imagine, my dear Madam, my joy and gratitude. I fell 
on my knees before him, and kissed his hands. He gave 
me his blessing, and raised me up. 

“ Where is your companion in misfortune ? ” said he. 

“ Alas ! sir, he is dead,” replied I. 

The superior shook his head and turned away, saying, 
“ I will search into this affair to the bottom, depend upon 
it, when I get back to Rio.” 

He then desired the director to bring out his books, 
and his own secretary to follow him, leaving his servants 
in the court-yard with me and the other inspectors. I 
received the congratulations of all parties present, and as 
soon as possible I escaped from them and returned to my 
own room, where I kneeled and fervently thanked God for 
my unexpected deliverance ; and, having paid my duty 
to the Most High, I sat down, and fell into a most 
delightful reverie of anticipations. In the evening, after 
the superior had dismissed him, the director sent for me, 
and said, 

“ Allow me to return you many thanks for your kind- 
ness in speaking so favorably of me as you have done. 
You have, indeed, been of service to me, and I am most 
grateful.” 

“ I only did you justice, director,” replied I. 

“ Yes, but how few have justice done them in this 
world ! ” replied he. “ The superior desired me to tell 
you, that you are to live with the gentlemen of his suite. 
Of course, you know, it is not etiquette for him to admit 
any body to his table. At all events you must allow me 
one pleasure, which is to supply you with clothes proper to 
your appearance, which I can easily do without incon- 
venience to myself.” 

The director then led me into his room, and opened a 
wardrobe full of rich suits, selected two of the hand- 
somest, with linen and every other article requisite, a 
handsome sword and hat, all of which he begged me to 
accept. Calling one of his servants, he ordered him to 
put them into a valise, and take them to my apartment. 

“ Is there any thing else that I can do ? — speak freely." 


194 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 


“ No, director,” replied I, “ I will accept these things 
from you, as I can not procure them here, but when at 
Rio, I have means to obtain every thing that I require. 
I return you many thanks.” 

“ I will send my servant to arrange your hair,” said he ; 
“ and I pray you to consider him at your disposal during 
the few days which the superior may remain here.” 

“ Do you think it will take him so long ? ” 

“ Yes,” replied the director, “ I will tell you in con- 
fidence, that he has brought with him the produce of the 
mines accounted for to the government at home, and on 
his first inspection has found such defalcation from 
that which has been transmitted by me to Rio, that 
I expect there will be serious business. They never 
imagined at Rio that he would have undertaken such a 
tedious journey as he has done, and they are much alarmed 
about it ; but I will leave you now, that you may go 
home and make your toilet. Allow me to congratu- 
late you with all my heart, at the fortunate termination 
to your unjust bondage.” 

Having again thanked him for his kindness, I went to 
my lodging, where I found his servant waiting for me ; 
and having had my hair arranged in a very tolerable 
manner, and a little powder thrown in, I put on one of 
the suits, which fitted me pretty well, requiring but a 
slight alteration, from being rather full, which the servant 
soon managed. Thus did I once more appear as a gen- 
tleman — contrary to all my expectations — and I then 
went and joined the suite of the superior, who, when 
they perceived the difference which dress made in my 
appearance, congratulated me, and warmly welcomed me 
to join the meal which had just been prepared for them. 
On the following day, the superior sent for me, and 
ordering me to sit down requested that I would enter into 
full detail of what had happened to me since we last 
parted. I did so, and my narrative occupied the whole 
afternoon. 

“ Your life has been full of vicissitudes,” replied he ; 
“ I trust, however, that your adventures are now over, 
and that you will be restored to your friends : the service 
you performed for our cause will never be forgotten.” 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN. I95 

I ventured to ask him how it was that he was now in 
the employ of the King of Portugal. He replied, 

“ I am an Irishman by birth, and educated at St. 
Omers. I was first sent to Spain by the order when I 
was young, and have since been employed all over the 
world in the advancement of our holy church. Country 
with our order is of no consequence. We all serve the 
holy church, and go wherever our services are required. 
I would you were a Catholic, I could advance you 
beyond all your hopes ; but you are engaged to be mar- 
ried, and that puts an end to the question.” 

As I thought the holy father must be tired with our 
long conference, I rose and look my leave. 

Three days afterward I was informed by him that he 
intended to set off on his return to Rio, and now I 
thought of the diamond, which I resolved to carry with 
me. I had no fear of being searched while under this 
excellent superior’s protection, and therefore I went to 
my lodging, dug up the diamond, and, having washed it, 
for the first time gave it the examination which it 
deserved. It certainly was a stone of great value, but of 
what value I could not exactly say. From what I had 
learned from the director, who usually put his idea of 
the value upon any diamond of size which was brought 
to him, I considered that ,£20,000 was the least which 
could be put upon the stone. I took the precaution not 
to carry it loose in my pocket, but to sew it within the 
lining of my clothes. Glad I was, indeed, when the 
orders to start the next morning were given out. I found 
that a horse was appointed for me, and, having made up 
my valise, not forgetting my tattered Bible, I went to my 
bed thanking God that this was to be the last night that 
I was to pass in the accursed Sierra de Espinhapo. 

At daylight the superior took his leave, mounted his 
mule, and we set forth, passing the guard-house in the 
narrow road, which I never expected to pass again. 
Before noon we were clear of the Sierra, and once more 
in the open country. The attendants, with a portion of 
the sumpter mules, went in advance, to prepare for the 
superior’s arrival at the spot where we were to halt. 

The weather was excessively sultry, and the glare of 


196 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 


the sun was very distressing. At noon we stopped to 
take our dinner, and the usual siesta after it. The 
attendants in advance had raised a sort of palanquin for 
the superior, and every thing was ready. The superior 
alighted, and sat down under the palanquin, which pro- 
tected him from the rays of the sun ; we all sat round at 
a respectful distance. The heat was so intense, that, to 
relieve himself, the superior had, when he sat down, 
thrown off his long black robe, such as is worn by the 
priests of his order. Dinner was served up, and we had 
a merry party, notwithstanding the great heat. After 
our meal, we all shaded ourselves as well as we could, 
and took our siesta for about two hours, when the supe- 
rior rose up, and gave the signal for resuming our jour- 
ney. The horses were soon ready, and the superior’s 
mule brought up to the palanquin. He rose up, and one of 
his attendants was lifting up his robe for the superior to 
resume it, when my eye detected the head of a snake just 
showing itself out of the side-pocket of the robe in which 
he carried his breviary and his handkerchief. I knew 
the snake well, for we often found them in the Sierra de 
Espinhago, and some two or three of the slaves had lost 
their lives by their bite, which was so fatal, that they 
died in less than five minutes afterward. The superior 
had his handkerchief in his hand, and would have 
undoubtedly put it in his pocket before he mounted his 
mule, and if so would certainly have been bitten, and lost 
his life. As the superior was fastening his robe at the 
throat, I darted, forward, seized it, threw it on the ground, 
and commenced stamping upon it with all my force, 
much to the surprise of the whole party. Some of them 
thought me mad, and others, who were horrified at such 
treatment of the holy garment, called out, “ Heretico 
maldetto !” which, Madam, you must know, means, 
accursed heretic. Having felt the snake (which is very 
short, but very thick in the body, with a head like a toad) 
several times moving under my feet, and then moving no 
more, I then stepped off the garment, and turning it over 
I lifted it up by the skirt, so that the dead snake rolled 
out of the pocket. 

“ I thank the God whom we all worship, and the Son 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 


197 


of God, who died for us all, whether Catholic or Heretic," 
cried I, “ that I have been the means of preserving the 
holy father.” 

I had kneeled down as I thus prayed, and the superior, 
perceiving the danger that he had been in, did the same, 
and silently returned his thanks ; at his example all the 
rest went down on their knees. 

“ Yes,” said the superior ; “ would to God that instead 
of reviling each other all denominations of Christians 
would join in thus bruising the head of the serpent which 
seeks our spiritual death.” 

He then rose and said, 

“ My son, I thank thee for the kind service thou hast 
performed.” 

I then explained to the superior the deadly nature of 
the animal, and my fear that he would have put his hand- 
kerchief in the pocket of his robe before I had time to 
prevent him, and begged him to excuse my abruptness. 

“ There needs no apology for saving a man’s life,” 
replied he, smiling. — “ Come, let us go forward.” 

I hardly heed say that we were not quite so long in 
returning to Rio as we were going to the mines. We 
accomplished our journey, without using extreme haste, 
in about half of the time. On our arrival, we took up 
our quarters at a magnificent palace, which had been 
appropriated to the superior during his residence at Rio, 
and I found myself sumptuously lodged. For some 
days, during which the superior had frequent interviews 
with the viceroy, I did not see him, but one day I was 
summoned to his presence. 

“ My son,” said he, “ I have lost no time in in- 
vestigating your affair, and I find that all you have said 
is quite correct. To the disgrace of the government 
here, and the manner in which justice is administered, it 
appears that this man, Olivarez, on his arrival, went to 
the secretary of the judge of that court in which such 
offenses are tried, and stated that he had two English 
mutineers on board, who had attempted to take the ves- 
sel, and wounded several of his men dangerously ; that 
he wished, of course, to deliver them up to justice, but 
that the immediate departure of his vessel would be pre* 


198 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 


vented by so doing, as his crew would be required as 
evidence ; that the delay would be very disadvantageous ; 
and he inquired whether it could not be managed that 
these men might be punished without the appearance of 
himself and his men, as he would pay a good sum rather 
than be detained. The secretary perfectly understood 
the trick, and, upon the receipt of five hundred cruzados, 
he accepted the deposition of Olivarez, sworn to by him, 
as sufficient evidence, and you were consigned to the mines 
upon this deposition by a warrant from the judge. We 
have had some trouble to obtain all the facts, but the 
question has been severely applied, and has elicited them. 
Now, first, as to the judge and his secretary, they have 
gone to the gaol, and will take your place in the mines 
for life. Next as to Olivarez. It appears that, on his 
arrival, he sold his cargo of slaves very advantageously ; 
that having received the money he gave a small portion 
to each of his men, and that they went on shore, and, 
like all English seamen, were soon in a state of intoxica- 
tion ; that Olivarez took such steps with the police, as to 
have them all thrown into prison when in that state ; 
and, on the following morning, he went to them, persuad- 
ed them that they had committed themselves during 
their intoxication, and that it required a large sum to 
free them. This he pretended to have paid for them, 
and, having purchased a cargo for his voyage, he got 
them all on board, and again ran for the coast of Africa. 
In three months he returned with another cargo, which 
he sold. He had found out his mother, and now he 
expended the money he had made, in purchasing a good 
property about seven miles from Rio, where he placed 
his mother and some slaves to take care of it, and culti- 
vate it. He contrived to defraud his crew as much as 
he could, and before he went to the coast again he mar- 
ried an amiable young person, the daughter of a neigh- 
bor. He made a third and fourth voyage with equal 
success, but on the third voyage he contrived to get rid 
of a portion of his English crew, who were now becom- 
ing troublesome, by taking some Portuguese sailors out 
with him, and leaving the English on the coast, as if by 
mistake. Previous to the fourth voyage, it appears that 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 


I99 


he satisfied the remainder of the English crew by pro- 
ducing accounts, and sharing out to them several hund- 
red dollars previous to their departure for the coast. 
He made a slight addition to his Portuguese sailors, not 
putting too many on board, to avoid suspicion, and when 
on the coast of Africa, a portion of the English crew 
died, whether by poison or not is not known, and the 
others he put on shore, seizing all their property, and 
the dollars with which he had satisfied them. On his 
return from his fourth voyage, having now nothing to 
fear from the partners in his atrocious deed, having 
realized a large sum, he determined to remain on shore 
altogether, and live on his property with his mother and 
wife. He did so, and sent out the schooner under a 
Portuguese captain and crew, to be employed for him as 
owner in the slave traffic, and she has made two voyages 
since, and is expected back again every day. Now, my 
son, retribution has fallen heavily upon this bad man. 
Had he been discovered and punished when he first did 
the deed, it would have been as nothing compared to 
what it has been now ; he then had no property — no 
ties — in fact, nothing or little to regret ; but now, with a 
wife and child, with a valuable property, living in inde- 
pendence, and increasing that wealth daily — now, when 
he is at the very summit of his ambition, restored to his 
own country, respected and considered as being a man 
of wealth, he has been seized, thrown into a dungeon, 
put to the question, and now lies in a state of misery, 
awaiting the sentence of death which has been pro- 
nounced against him. Neither has he the consolation of 
knowing that he leaves those whom he loves in a state 
of affluence, for all his property, having been gained by 
making use of your property, necessarily is your prop- 
erty, and'not his, and it has been confiscated accordingly 
for your use and benefit. As soon as every thing is col- 
lected, it will be paid into your hands. Thus, my son, I 
have at last attained justice for you.” 

I was, as you may imagine, my dear Madam, profuse 
in my acknowledgments, but he stopped me, saying, 

“ I was sent here to see that justice was done to every 
body, if I possibly could — no easy task, when all are 


200 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 


amassing money, not caring how they obtain it ; but 
surely, if any one has peculiar claims upon me, it is you.” 

The superior then asked me several questions relative 
to my parentage, and I did not conceal any thing from 
him. I told who I was, and why, at an early age, I had 
left my father’s house. He asked me many questions, 
and, after about two hours’ conversation, he dismissed 
me, saying, 

“You may always depend upon my protection and 
gratitude.” 

Before he dismissed me, he told me that he was about 
to send a dispatch-boat to Lisbon, and as I might wish 
to inform my friends of my safety, if I would write letters, 
he would insure their being safely delivered to my friends 
in England. I gladly availed myself of this offer, and 
indeed would have begged a passage for myself, if it had 
not been that I considered Olivarez’s money to be the 
property of Mr. Trevannion, and was determined to 
remit it to him before I left Rio. This detained me 
about six weeks longer, during which interval Olivarez 
had suffered the penalty due to his crimes, having been 
strangled in the market-place. 

The money received was 28,000 cruzados, and not 
knowing how to dispose of it, I applied to the superior, 
who gave me orders for it in duplicates upon the treas- 
ury at Lisbon, one of which I had very soon an oppor- 
tunity of sending home to Mr. Trevannion, with a dupli- 
cate of my first letter, and a second to him and Amy, 
stating my intention of returning as soon as possible. 
But this was by a Portuguese frigate, which made a very 
circuitous route home, and I did not choose to go by 
that conveyance, as her detention at the different ports 
was so uncertain. At last I became very impatient for 
my departure, and anxiously awaited the sailing of some 
vessel to any port of Europe. 

I had reserved 1000 cruzados for my own expenses, 
which I considered as quite sufficient, but they were 
gradually wasting away, for I was everywhere received, 
and in the best company of Rio. At last one day the 
superior sent for me, and told me that he was about 
to send an advice-boat to Lisbon, and I might take a 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 


201 


passage if I wished ; that it was a very small one, but a 
very fast sailer. I thanked him heartily, accepted the pro- 
posal, and went to my room to pack up my clothes. In 
the afternoon the captain of the xebeque called upon me, 
and told me that he would start on the following morn- 
ing if I would be ready. I replied that I should be, put 
some dollars into his hands, requesting that he would 
procure for me any thing that he considered would be 
necessary and agreeable, and if the sum I had given him 
was not enough, I would repay him the remainder as soon 
as we were out of harbor. I took my leave of the 
superior, who parted with me with many protestations of 
regard on his side, and tears of gratitude on mine, and 
early the next morning I was on board of the xebeque. 
In light winds she was extremely fast, but she certainly 
was too small to cross the Atlantic Ocean ; nevertheless, 
as the captain said, she had crossed it several times, and 
he hoped that she often would again. 

The passage, however, that he usually made, was to 
run up to the northward of the Antilles, and then cross 
over, making the Bahama Isles, and from thence taking 
a fresh departure for Lisbon. Our crew consisted of 
only eight men, besides the captain ; but, as the vessel 
was not more than thirty tons, they were sufficient. We 
made a good run, until we were in about twenty-four 
degrees of north latitude, when, as we stretched to the 
eastward to cross the Atlantic, we met with a most violent 
gale, which lasted several days, and I fully expected 
every hour that the vessel would go down, buried as she 
was by the heavy sea. At last we had no chance but to 
scud before the wind, which we did for two days before 
a raging and following sea that appeared determined upon 
our destruction. On the second night, as I was on deck, 
watching the breaking and tossing of the billows, and the 
swift career of the little bark, which enabled her to avoid 
them, the water suddenly appeared of one white foam, 
and, as we rose upon the next sea, we were hurled along 
on its crest, reeling on the foam until it had passed us, 
and then we struck heavily upon a rock. Fortunately, 
it was a soft coral rock, or we had all perished. The 
next wave lifted us up again, and threw us further on, 


202 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 


and, on its receding, the little xebeque laid high and dry, 
and careened over on her bilge. 

The waters rose and fell, and roared and foamed about 
us, but they lifted us no more, neither did they wash us 
off the decks as we clung to the rigging ; for the stout, 
short mast, upon which the lateen sail was hoisted, had 
not been carried away. We remained where we were till 
morning, every one holding on, and not communicating 
with each other. As the night wore away, so did the 
gale decrease and the sea subside. The waters now 
gradually left us ; at intervals, when the waves receded, 
we could walk on shore ; but we remained on the vessel 
till noon, by which time we found our vessel high and 
dry, having been carried over a coral reef, which ap- 
peared to extend one or two miles into the offing. 

The men, who had been much buffeted by the waves, 
and who were exhausted by clinging so long to the 
now that they found themselves safe, and were 
warmed by the heat of the sun, rallied and began to 
move about. We had a long consultation as to how we 
should act. There was no chance of getting the vessel 
off again, and we did not exactly know where we were ; 
but the captain and I agreed that it must be upon one 
of the small islands of the Bahama group that we had 
been cast away, and our conjecture was right. After 
some consultation, the captain and I called the men 
together, and told them that it was very probable that 
we might be some time before we could find the means 
of getting off the island, and that, therefore, we must all 
do our best ; that we would land and erect a tent with 
the sails, and obtain provisions ; after that we would 
consider the vessel and her stores as public property, 
but that every man’s private property should be secured 
to him as if we were still on board of the xebeque ; that 
the captain should retain the command as before, and 
his orders should be obeyed by every body, as long as 
they were reasonable and just. 

The men, who were well-behaved, quiet fellows, — and 
not, like English seamen, given to liquor, — readily agreed, 
and it was arranged that the following morning we 
should commence our labors. This was a sad blow to 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 


203 


me, who was anticipating a speedy meeting with Amy- 
I knew how doubtful was the chance of our being seen 
by any vessel, and that I must remain here for months, 
if not longer ; but I had been schooled, and could now 
say with fervency, “ Thy will, O Lord, and not mine, 
be done.” 

We remained on board of the vessel that night, and 
the next morning the gale had ceased, and the waters, 
to our astonishment, had receded, so as to leave us at 
least sixty yards from the sea, which was now almost 
calm. We first took a survey of the island, to ascertain 
if there was any water, and, as the island was not more 
than two miles in circumference, this did not take us 
long. Fortunately, in the center we found a deep hole 
sunk in the soft coral rock by some other people who had 
been wrecked here, and in the hole the water was, 
although a little brackish, somewhat palatable. It evi- 
dently was the sea-water filtered through the soft rock. 

The whole of the island was surrounded with coral 
reefs, with lanes of deep water running between them, 
and the fish were sporting in thousands after the 
storm, but there was not a tree or vestige of vege- 
tation upon the whole island. We soon, however, dis- 
covered that it was frequented by turtle, for we found 
some eggs, fresh-buried, in the sand. Having made 
this survey, we then went back to the vessel, and with 
spars and sails rigged a tent upon the highest point of 
the island, which might be ten or fifteen feet above the 
level of the sea. The tent was large enough to hold 
fifty men, if required, so we brought our bedding and 
chests and all our cooking apparatus on shore, made a 
fire-place outside the tent with the little caboose we had 
on board of the vessel, sent a man to obtain water from 
the hole, and put on some meat to boil for our dinners. 
In the evening we all went out to turn turtle, and suc- 
ceeded in turning three, when we decided that we would 
not capture any more until we had made a turtle-pond to 
put them in, for we had not more than two months’ pro- 
visions on board of the vessel, and did not know how 
long we might be detained. The men behaved very 
well, and indeed seemed determined to make themselves 


204 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 


as comfortable as they could under the circumstances. 
The next day we put out some lines in deep water, and 
caught several large fish, and then we went to find a 
proper spot for a turtle-pond. We selected a hole in the 
reef which we thought would answer, as we had only one 
end of it to fill up, and we commenced breaking away 
the rock with crow-bars, and worked hard the whole of 
the day, some breaking and others carrying the broken 
masses off. By degrees they rose to the surface of the^ 
water, and in two days more we calculated that the pond 
would be ready to receive the turtle. We had killed one 
turtle in the morning, and we now lived upon it alto- 
gether, as we wished to save our salt provisions. • The 
captain and I had many consultations as to what we 
should do, and what attempts we should make to get off 
from this spot. Build a boat we could not, as we had not 
a carpenter among us, or the means of making the iron- 
work necessary. We had some tools, such as are usually 
used on board of vessels, and several pounds of large 
nails, but none fit for boat-building. I proposed that we 
should examine the bottom of the xebeque, and see what 
damage was done to it. We did so, and found that the 
garboard streak was broken and two of her timbers, but 
they were easy to repair ; in every other respect she was 
sound. I then proposed that we cut down the xebeque 
to a large boat, which we could easily do by ripping off 
her planks and decks, and sawing down her timbers to 
the height we required. It would be a heavy boat, it 
was true, but we should be able to launch her with 
rollers, and the draught of water would be so small that 
we could get her over the reefs, which we could not pos- 
sibly do the xebeque. The captain approved of the idea, 
and we agreed that as soon as the turtle-pond was 
finished we would make the attempt. In two days more 
we had finished the pond, and had turned thirty turtle, 
which we put into it. The men, now that they found 
they had plenty to eat, began to show signs of laziness, 
and did not very readily commence the work upon the 
xebeque. They ate and slept, ate and slept again, on the 
mattresses spread in the tent. At times they would fish, 
but it was with difficulty that the captain and I could 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 


205 


persuade them to work, and if they did work half an hour, 
they then threw down their axes and crow-bars and 
went back to the tent. They had plenty of tobacco, and 
they smoked half the day, ate turtle, and then slept again. 
Nevertheless, as the captain and I worked hard, the work 
progressed ; in about ten days after we begun the work, 
we had ripped off her decks and her side-planks as low as 
we thought right, and we were now sawing through the 
timbers, when the quiet of our party was disturbed by 
what may be considered a very strange quarrel. One of 
the men asserted in conversation that St. Anthony was 
born in Padua ; one or two of the other seamen denied 
it, and this difference of opinion, which at first was a 
mere nothing, from sullenness, I presume, and some- 
thing being required to excite them, in the course of a 
day or two ended in a serious feud ; the Paduans term- 
ing the anti-Paduans heretics and Jews. The epithet of 
Jew was what irritated so much, and the parties being 
exactly even, four on each side, on the third day, after 
an angry altercation, they all rushed out of the tent to 
decide the affair with their knives. The conflict was 
very fierce, and took place when the captain and I were 
at the xebeque, and before we could separate them four 
of them had fallen ; two were killed and the other two 
were badly wounded. It may appear ridiculous that 
people should take each other’s lives for such a 
trifle ; but, after all, nations declare war against each 
other, and thousands are killed on both sides, for causes 
almost as slight. With great difficulty we separated the 
remaining combatants, and such was their rage and 
excitement, that every now and then they would attempt 
to break from us and attack each other again ; but at 
last we disarmed them. 

This was a sad business ; and it was melancholy to 
think that companions in misfortune should take each 
other’s lives, instead of feeling grateful to the Almighty 
for their preservation. 

We buried the two men who had fallen, and dressed 
the wounds of the hurt ; but after this quarrel the four 
others came to their work, and continued steady at it. 
We had now removed the upper portion of the xebeque, 


2o6 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 


and commenced fixing beams and carlines on the lower 
part, so as to make a decked boat of it, and in another 
week we had decked her over. But we had a great deal 
more to do ; we had to reduce the mast and yard to a 
proper size, to alter the sail and rigging, to make a small 
rudder, and rollers to launch her upon. All this, with 
our reduced force, occupied us another month ; for the 
wounded men, although recovering, could just crawl 
about. We turned many more turtle at night, that we 
might have a sufficient supply. We now looked out for 
a channel of deep water through the reef, to get our boat 
out, and made one out to a certain extent, but could not 
survey further without getting off the reef, and the sharks 
were so numerous that we dared not venture. However, 
we took it for granted, as we had found deep water in 
shore, that we should be sure to do so in the offing ; and 
we now got our boat upon the rollers which we had made, 
by digging away the sand from beneath her, and a 
trench to the water’s edge. We had been two months on 
the island when all was ready for launching. 

Anxious as I was to return to England, I can not say 
that I was unhappy when on this island : there was 
always a fine sea-breeze, which cooled the air, and enabled 
us to work without exhaustion. With the exception of 
the unfortunate quarrel I have referred to, every thing 
went on quietly. After work was over, I resorted as 
usual to the Bible, and read for hours ; and this calmed 
and allayed any impatient feelings which might at times 
arise. I felt that I had great cause to be grateful to the 
Almighty for preserving me as He had done, and that it 
would be folly and wickedness on my part to repine 
because I could not obtain all that I wished. I waited, 
therefore, for His own good time, without murmuring, 
and in full confidence that all was for the best. 

At last we contrived to get our boat into the water, and 
she floated much lighter than we thought she would have 
done, considering the weight of the wood that was in her. 
As soon as she was anchored about ten feet from the 
beach, we made a gangway to her with planks, and com- 
menced getting all our salt provisions, water, and stores, 
which we had selected as most necessary, on board of her. 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 


207 


The stowage of these occupied us two days ; we then got 
the yard up, and bent the sail, and, having fitted oars, we 
determined that the next day we would embark. As she 
still swam light, we got on board of her as many turtle as 
we could conveniently carry, and then, for the last time, 
went on shore to sleep. 

As there was no room for our chests, it was agreed that 
we each should have a bundle on board, selecting those 
things which we most required and valued. This pro- 
posal, which was made by the captain, put me in mind of 
the diamond, which had scarcely once entered my 
thoughts since I had been on the island.. When I took 
it out of my chest, I thought that I might as well make 
it more convenient to carry, as there was no saying what 
might be the result of our new expedition ; so, when the 
other men were all busy about their effects, or asleep, I 
first took the precaution to roll it up in a covering of 
pitch, so that, if taken from me or lost, it might not be 
known to be a diamond, and then I sewed it up in a piece 
of leather, which I cut from an old glove, putting a strong 
leather lanyard to it, so that I might wear it round my 
neck. Having done this without any one taking notice, 
and having nothing else to do, I took some fine twine and 
worked it over, like the mousing of a stay, in a way 
peculiar to sailors, so that, when finished, it was very much 
in the shape of a miniature buoy to an anchor, and 
reminded me of a f end-off, or fender, such as they use to 
prevent any injury to the sides of a vessel when coming 
in contact with another. Having finished my work, I put 
the leather lanyard round my neck, inside of my shirt, so 
that my diamond was concealed from sight ; I then put 
up my remaining pieces-of-eight — which were nearly 500, 
the best of my clothes (for during my stay at Rio I had 
very much increased my stock), and I hardly need say that 
the old Bible was not left behind. 

It was a beautiful calm morning when we embarked, 
and, lifting the anchor, took to our oars, and pulled out 
through the deep channel, the captain standing at the 
bow and conning us through, while I took the helm. The 
boat pulled well and steered well ; we had yet to see what 
she could do under canvas. After a pull of two hours 


208 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 


we were clear of the reef, and out in the open sea. We 
then laid in the oars, and commenced our preparations 
for hoisting the sail to a breeze, which then blew from 
the southward. When all was ready, the men hoisted the 
sail, but in so doing, a rope being foul, as I was attempt- 
ing to clear it I was tripped up, and fell with my right 
knee on a spike, which entered deep, putting me to excru- 
ciating pain, and laming me completely. I was obliged 
to sit down abaft, for I nearly fainted away. In the mean- 
time the sail was set, and the boat stood well up to it. 
She proved to be very stiff under canvas, which was a 
source of great congratulation. My knee became so pain- 
ful and stiff that I could not move it ; I took one of my 
shirts out of my bundle, tore it up into bandages, and put 
them on. We had resolved to attempt to make New 
Providence, the largest of the Bahama group, where we 
knew that there was a town called Nassau, and from whence 
we hoped to obtain some conveyance to Europe ; but we 
knew nothing of the port, or the inhabitants, or what 
trade was carried on with them. 

For several hours our little bark went gayly over the 
water, but toward nightfall the wind shifted, and the 
weather looked threatening. We hardly knew how to 
steer, as we did not know the position of the island which 
we had left, and now the wind heading us, we hauled up 
on the larboard tack, with our head to the northward and 
eastward. As the sun went down, the wind increased, 
and the sea ran fast. Our boat behaved well, till it began 
to blow very hard, and then it took in so much water that 
we were forced to bale. 

We had reefed our sail, and made every thing as snug 
as we could, but the sea rising fast, and the boat taking 
in more water, we considered it prudent to lighten her, 
which we did by throwing overboard all the turtle. This 
we did without regret, as we were tired of eating them 
for so long a while. The day broke, and there appeared 
every sign of bad weather, and the waves now tossed and 
foamed too much for such a small craft as we were in. 
About noon we saw a vessel on a wind to leeward of us, 
which was a source of great delight to us all, and we bore 
down to her. We soon made her out to be an hermaph- 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 


209 


rodite brig, under her close-reefed topsails and trysails. 
We ran under her counter and hailed. We perceived 
several men standing abaft, and apparently they suspected 
us for a rover, for they had muskets and other weapons 
in their hands. We told them that we had been ship- 
wrecked, and the boat was sinking in the gale, and then 
we rounded to under her lee. 

There we remained for four or five hours, during which 
the wind and the sea went down very fast, and the boat 
no longer took in water ; but we had been all too much 
alarmed with the danger in which we had been, to like to 
continue our voyage in her, and as we thought that we 
could now go alongside with safety, we hailed again, and 
asked permission. After some parleying they threw us 
a rope, which we made fast to the boat, and lowered our 
sail, keeping off on a broad sheer, as there still was a 
great deal of sea. They then entered into conversation 
with us. I told them all that had happened, and inquired 
where the brig was bound to. 

They replied, to Jamestown, Virginia. I asked them 
if they could give us*a passage there, as we were afraid 
to proceed in our boat ; or if not, would they see us safe 
into New Providence ? # 

The captain then came forward. He was a very dark 
man, dark as a mulatto, with keen small eyes, and a 
hooked nose. I never beheld a more deformed and repul- 
sive countenance. 

He said that he could not go to New Providence, as it 
was out of his way, and that we might easily get there 
ourselves if we thought proper. 

I replied, that the boat was not sufficiently large and 
seaworthy, and that we had already nearly gone down, 
and if another gale should come on, we certainly should 
founder, and again requested that he would take us on 
board. 

“ Have you any money to pay for your passage ? ” in- 
quired he. 

“ Why,” said I, “ common charity and the feelings of a 
seaman toward sailors in distress should be sufficient to 
induce you to take us on board, and not leave us to 
perish ; but if you require money,” I replied, “ we have 
more than sufficient to satisfy you.” 


210 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 


“ How much ? ” screamed out a lad of about fourteen, 
who was the very image of the captain in miniature. 

I did not reply to this question, and the captain then 
said, “ What do you propose to do with the boat ? ” 

“ Let her go adrift, to be sure,” replied I. 

“ What have you got on board her ? ” said he. 

I enumerated, as well as I could recollect, the provisions 
and stores that we had. 

“ Well,” replied he, “ I will wait till it is a little smoother, 
and then we will clear the boat and take you on board.” 

He then left the gangway, where he had been standing, 
and we continued to be towed by the brig. 

“ I do not like that fellow,” said I to the Portuguese 
captain ; “ he appears, or pretends, to take us for pirates, 
but he is more like a pirate himself.” 

“ He looks like the devil himself,” replied the captain, 
“ and to ask people in our condition to pay for their pas- 
sage ! He is a monster ! However, we all have a few 
doubloons, thank Heaven.” 

About an hour afterward, it being much more moder- 
ate, the captain of the brig told us to sheer alongside, and 
that four of us might come out and the others remain in 
the boat till she was cleared. 

“ I think you had better go,” said I to the captain, 
“ for with so much motion I never shall be able to get up 
the side with my bad knee.” 

We then sheered the boat alongside, and the captain 
and three of our men got on board, but not without diffi- 
culty. I saw them go aft and down below with the cap- 
tain of the brig, but I never saw them on deck again, 
much to my surprise, although we were more than half 
an hour before they again hailed us, and told us to come 
alongside again. During this half-hour my mind mis- 
gave me sadly that all was not right, from not seeing the 
Portuguese captain, or either of the three men, and I took 
it into my head that the vessel was a pirate ; and I knew 
if such was the case, we should instantly be rifled, if not 
murdered. I took the precaution of taking off the bandage 
from my knee, and, having removed the diamond from 
my neck, I put it under my ham in the cavity, which held 
it with ease, and then put the bandage on again over it, 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 


2 1 1 


as I thought they would hardly take a bandage off a bad 
knee to see if there was any thing concealed beneath it. 
It was with difficulty that I contrived to get onboard the 
brig, and as soon as I had gained the deck, I was ordered 
to go down into the cabin : as I went aft, I looked round 
for the Portuguese captain and the men, but could not 
see them. I contrived, with difficulty, to get down into 
the cabin, and as soon as I was there I was seized by the 
arms and held fast by two of the men, while others bound 
me with seizings. 

As the captain was looking on, I inquired into the 
cause of this outrage. He replied, that we were a parcel 
of rascally pirates, who would have taken his vessel if 
he had not been too deep for us ; I told him it was false, 
and that I could easily prove it, as we still had the 
dispatches on board with which we had been charged, 
and that I could show good proof that I was the same 
person that I stated myself to be ; that I very much 
feared that we had fallen into the hands of pirates our- 
selves, but that I would have justice done as soon as we 
arrived at Jamestown, without he intended to murder 
us all before we arrived. His answer was, that he was 
too old a bird to be caught with such chaff, and that he 
would secure us and deliver us up to the authorities as 
soon as he arrived. I replied, in great anger, that he 
would then be convinced of his error, if it was an error, 
on his part ; that his conduct was infamous, and he looked 
like a scoundrel, and I believed him to be one. 

“ You call me a scoundrel, do you ? ” said he, leveling a 
pistol at my head. 

“ You call us scoundrels, do you ? ” cried the boy I 
have made mention of, and who was evidently the son of 
the captain, taking up another pistol in his hand. “ Shall 
I shoot him, father ? ” 

“ No, Peleg, not yet ; we will pay them all when we get 
in. Take him away, and put him in irons with the rest,” 
said the captain ; and I was immediately dragged for- 
ward between decks through a door in the bulk-heads, 
where I found the Portuguese captain and three seamen 
already in irons. 

“ This is pretty treatment,” said he to me. 


212 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 


“ Yes, it is, indeed,” replied I ; “ but I will make him 
smart for it when we arrive.” 

“ Shall we ever arrive ? ” said the Portuguese captain, 
looking at me and compressing his lips. 

“ I say, my man,” said I to the seaman who stood over 
us with a pistol and cutlass, “ who are you, and what are 
you ? Tell us the truth : are you pirates ? ” 

“ I never was yet,” replied he, “ nor do I mean to be ; 
but our skipper says that you are, and that he knew you 
as soon as you came alongside. That’s all I can say 
about it.” 

“ Why, if we are pirates, as he says, and he recog- 
nizes us, he must have been in pirates’ company, — that is 
clear.” 

“ Well, he may have been, for all I know,” replied the 
man. “ I don’t consider him any very great things ; but 
he is our captain, and we must obey orders.” 

The man now brought forward the other three men who 
had been left in the boat. They told us that the boat had 
been cleared ; all the provisions, stores, sails, etc., had 
been taken out of her ; — a proof that she had been gutted 
and then cut adrift ; — that all our bundles were down in 
the captain’s cabin, and that the ill-looking urchin, his 
son, had overhauled them, one after another, and handed 
to his father all the money that he had found ; that they 
had been searched very carefully ; and that they had 
heard the captain say that we were all apt to be sent up, 
one by one, and searched in the same manner ; — and so 
it proved. I was first taken aft to have my pockets 
rummaged by the little villain, and as soon as I had been 
led forward and again put in irons, the Portuguese cap- 
tain and three other seamen were sent for and treated in 
the same way. We inquired of the men what money they 
had in their bundles and about their persons. They had 
each man four doubloons at Rio for wages, and the cap- 
tain had about forty doubloons. I had five hundred 
pieces-of-eight : so that, altogether, we had been robbed 
to the tune of about four hundred pounds sterling, inde- 
pendent of our clothes, which were of some value to us ; 
that is, mine were at all events. 

The seamen who guarded us, and who relieved each 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 


213 


other every watch, were not at all surly or ill-natured. I 
asked one of them during the night-watch whether he 
thought the captain would take our lives. 

“ No,” said he ; “ we will not allow that. You may be 
pirates, as he says, although we do not think you are ; 
but if pirates, you shall have fair play ; that we have all 
made up our minds to. No hanging first, and trying 
afterward.” 

I had a long conversation with this man, who appeared 
very much inclined to be sociable. He told me that the 
vessel was named the Transcendant; that she sailed from 
Virginia to the West Indies, and that sometimes she went 
to England : that the captain of her was also the owner, 
but where he came from, or what he was, they did not 
know, except that he was a Virginian,— they believed so, 
for that he had a tobacco estate there, which was carried 
on by his eldest son. He called the captain a stingy, 
miserly fellow who would sacrifice any man’s life to save 
a shilling, and that there were odd stories about him at 
Jamestown. 

I was well satisfied with my conversation with this 
man, as it assured me that our lives would not be taken, 
and I had no fear of the result upon my arrival at James- 
town, for, as I have mentioned before, Mr. Trevannion 
had vessels which sailed to that port, and I well recollected 
the names of the parties to whom the vessel and cargo 
were consigned. 

On the following day the captain of the brig, followed 
by his ill-favored son, came forward and looked at us as 
we sat in irons, upon which I addressed him. 

“ You have put me in irons, sir, when I threw myself 
upon your protection. You have robbed us of our money 
to the amount of nearly ^400, and you detain our other 
property. I now again desire that I may be released. I 
offered to convince you that I was a person of property, 
but you refused to listen to me. Now, sir, I will tell you 
that I am a partner in the house of Trevannion, at Liver- 
pool, and that we have vessels that trade between James- 
town and that port. Our vessels are consigned to 
Messrs. Fairbrother and Wilcocks, of Jamestown, and 
on my arrival I will soon prove that to you ; and also not 


214 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 


only make you surrender the property you have robbed 
us of, but I will make you smart pretty handsomely for 
your treatment of us ; that you may depend upon.” 

“ Fairbrother and Wilcocks,” muttered he ; “ confound 
the fellow. Oh,” said he turning to me, “ you got the 
name of that firm from some ship you have plundered 
and sunk, I suppose. No, no, that won’t do, — old birds 
are not to be caught with chaff.” 

“ I believe you to have been a pirate yourself, if you 
are not one now,” replied I ; “at all events you are a 
thief and a paltry villain — but our time will come.” 

“ Yes, it will,” said the captain of the xebeque ; “ and 
remember, you scoundrel, if you can escape and buy off 
justice, you shall not escape seven Portuguese knives, — 
mind you that.” 

“ No, no,” cried the Portuguese sailors ; “ stop till we 
are on shore, and then come on shore if you dare.” 

“ I say, father,” said young Hopeful, “ this looks like 
mischief ; better hang them, I reckon, than to be stuck 
like pigs. They look as if they’d do it, don’t they ? ” 

I shall never forget the diabolical expression of the 
captain of the brig after the Portuguese sailors had done 
speaking. He had a pistol at his belt, which he drew QUt. 

“ That’s right, shoot ’em, father ; dead men tell no 
tales, as you have always said.” 

“ No, no,” said the seaman who was on guard, motion- 
ing them back with his cutlass, “ there will be no shoot- 
ing nor hanging either ; we are all sworn to that. If so 
be they be pirates, there’s the law of the country to con- 
demn them ; and if they be not pirates, why then that’s 
another story.” 

The captain looked at the seaman as if he could have 
shot him if he dared, then turned round hastily and 
went back to the cabin, followed by his worthy offspring. 

For seven days we remained in irons, when we heard 
land announced by the sailors on deck, and the brig’s 
head was put toward it. At night she was hove to, and 
the next morning again stood in, and we perceived that 
we were in smooth water. Toward night the anchor 
was let go, and we asked the guard if we had arrived at 
Jamestown. 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 


215 


He replied, “ No, but we were in a river on the coast, 
but he did not know what river it was nor did any of the 
crew, nor could they tell why the captain had anchored 
there. But they had seen several canoes with Indians 
cross the river, but that there appeared to be no white 
settlement that they could discover.” The mystery was, 
however, cleared up on the following morning. A small 
boat, which could barely hold eight people, was lowered 
from the stern, and hauled up alongside. We were taken 
up, one by one, the scoundrel of a captain having first 
stripped each of us to our trowsers, not even allowing us a 
shirt. We were ordered to get into the boat. As soon as 
we were all in, and our weight brought the boat down 
to her gunnel, two oars were handed to us, and then the 
captain of the brig said, 

“ Now, you rascally pirates, I might have hanged you 
all, and I would have done so, for I know you well. I 
recollect your faces when you plundered the ‘ Eliza,’ 
when I was off Porto Rico ; but if I put you in prison at 
Jamestown, I shall have to wait two or three months 
until the court sits, and I can not be detained for such 
scoundrels as you ; so now you may pull on shore, and 
get on how you can.. Shove off, directly, or I’ll put a 
bullet through your brains.” 

“ Hold fast,” cried I, “ and let him fire if he dares. 
You men belonging to the Transcendant , I call you to 
witness this treatment. Your captain has robbed us of a 
large sum of money, and now turns us adrift, so as to compel 
us to land among savages, who may kill us immediately. 
I appeal to you, will you permit this cruelty and injustice ? 
If you are English, I conceive you will not.” 

There was some talk and expostulation with the cap- 
tain of the brig, in consequence of what I said ; but while 
it was going on, the captain’s son leaned over the side, 
and with his knife cut the painter, or rope which held the 
boat, and as the tide was running on very strong, in less 
than half a minute we were a long way astern of the brig, 
and drifting fast up the river. 

We got our oars, and attempted to pull for the brig, 
for we knew that the seamen were taking our part ; but it 
was in vain ; the tide ran several miles an hour, and in 


2l6 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 


another minute or two, with all our exertions, we were 
nearly a quarter of a mile astern of her, and the boat was 
so loaded that we hardly dared move lest we should upset 
it. We had, therefore, no option but to go on shore and 
take our chance ; but when the men were pulling round 
for the shore, on reflection I thought that we had better 
not land so soon, as the sailors had told us that they had 
seen the Indians in their canoes. I therefore recom- 
mended that we should allow the boat to drift up the 
river with the tide, and then drift down again when the 
tide turned, remaining in the middle of the stream till it 
was dark, when we would land and make our way into 
the woods. My advice was followed ; we sat still in the 
boat, just keeping her head to the stream with the oars, 
and, being without our shirts, the sun scorching and 
blistering our backs, till past noon, during which time we 
must have drifted nearly twenty miles up the river, which 
was as broad as the arm of a sea at the entrance ; then 
the tide turned, and we drifted back again till it was 
dusk, when it was again slack water. All this while we 
kept a sharp look-out to see if we could perceive any In- 
dians, but not one was to be seen. I now proposed that 
we should take our oars and pull out of the river, as if 
we had only gone up on a survey, for the brig had got 
under weigh, and had anchored, for want of wind, about 
four miles off, and the Indians, if there were any, would 
suppose that we were returning to the ship. We did so, 
and pulled till it was dark, and were within two miles of 
the brig, where the flood-tide again made strong, when 
we turned the boat’s head up the river, and pulled with 
the oars to get up as far as we could before we landed. 
This we did, suffering much from hunger and thirst, as 
well as being confined so long in one position. As my 
knee was quite well, I now took off the bandage, and 
hung my diamond round my neck as before. I could 
not help feeling a satisfaction, when I thought that the 
thief of a captain little imagined what a mine of wealth 
he was losing when he turned me adrift. It was about 
midnight when the tide ceased to flow, and we then agreed 
to land, and the question then was, whether we should 
separate or keep together. After some discussion, we 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 


217 


agreed to separate in twos, and the Portuguese captain 
and I agreed to keep each other company. We first 
pushed the boat into the stream, that she might drift 
away, and then, shaking each other by the hand and 
bidding adieu, we all started in different directions. 
For some time the captain and I threaded the woods in 
silence, when we were stopped by a stream of deep water, 
with such high banks, that in the dark we did not know 
how to cross it. We walked by the side of it for some 
time to discover a passage, and in so doing we at last 
found ourselves again on the banks of the river, and our 
boat lying close to us, having grounded not far from 
where we had shoved her off. We tasted the water in 
the creek, and found it quite fresh : we had several times 
tried it on the river, and found it quite salt from the tide 
running in. We drank plentifully, and sat down to re- 
cover ourselves, for although we had not walked more 
than half an hour, the pushing through the brushwood 
was very fatiguing. 

“ I think,” said I, “ that this boat will certainly betray 
us, and would it not be better to take possession of it again ? 
It will hold two comfortably, and I think we shall get on 
as well, if not better, in a boat than in the woods without 
compass and without guide.” 

“ I agree with you,” said the captain ; “ but what 
shall we do ?” 

“ Let us retrace our steps ; let us pull again, with 
the ebb-tide, for the mouth of the river, and then coast it 
along shore ; we may arrive at some settlement, if we do 
not starve by the way.” 

“ I agree with you,” he said, “ it will be the best plan ; 
we must conceal ourselves in the day, and coast along at 
night.” 

We waded into the river, got into the boat, and again 
pulled out. The boat being light now pulled well, and 
we made good speed ; and at daylight we were clear of 
the river, and close to a small island near the mouth of it. 
Upon this we agreed to land to try if we could procure 
food, for we were much exhausted, and also to conceal 
ourselves from the natives. We ran our little boat on 
shore, and concealed her among some bushes which 


2l8 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 


grew down at the water’s edge. We looked well round, but 
could see nothing, and we then walked out in search of 
food ; we found some wild plums, which we eagerly de- 
voured ; and going down again to the beach, where there 
were some rocks, we found shell-fish, of which we broke 
the shells between two stones, and made a meal of. 
After our hunger was satisfied, we lay down under the 
shelter of the boat, and fell fast asleep. We were so 
tired that we did not wake up till it was nearly dark, 
when we agreed to start again, and pull along the coast 
to the northward. We were just launching our boat, 
when we perceived a canoe about three miles off, steering 
for the mouth of the river to the island. This stopped 
us, and we remained in our hiding-place. The canoe 
approached, steering directly for the spot where we lay 
concealed, and we imagined that they had discovered us. 
Such, however, proved not to be the case, for they ran 
on shore about fifty yards from us, and, hauling up the 
canoe, they got out and walked away on land. There 
were four men, but it was now too dark to distinguish 
any more. We remained quiet for a quarter of an hour, 
when I proposed that we should embark. 

“ Have you ever managed a canoe ? ” said the Por- 
tuguese captain to me. 

“ I have been in one in Africa very often,” I. said, 
“ but they are dug-outs, as we call them.” 

“ So have I, and I do not think there is so much 
difference between them and these canoes. Can you 
paddle ? ” 

“ Yes,” I replied. 

“ So can I,” he said. “ Now observe, the best thing 
we can do is to take possession of that canoe ; and then 
we shall get on better, for our boat will always attract 
notice, whereas a canoe will not ; besides, it will prevent 
these Indians, if they are come to look for us, which I 
suspect they have, from following us.” 

“ I think you are right,” I said ; “ but how shall we 
manage ? ” 

“ In this way. You shall shove off our boat and walk 
by its side, dragging it up to where the canoe lies ; I will 
go to the canoe, launch it, and then we will make off with 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 


21 9 


both till we are too far out to be taken ; then, when we 
have got into the canoe, we will turn our boat adrift.” 

I agreed to the proposals. We launched our boat very 
quietly, and I walked in the water up to my knees, draw- 
ing it after me till I arrived opposite to the canoe. The 
Portuguese crept on his hands and knees till he had 
gained the canoe, pushed her off, and joined me. We 
made her fast to the tow-rope of our own boat, then got 
into the boat, and pulled away from the island. 

We had not gained more than a hundred yards when 
the whiz of an arrow met our ears. The Indians had 
discovered us, it was evident. Two or three more arrows 
came flying by us, but we had now got well out, and 
they fell harmless. We continued to pull till we were 
half a mile from the island, and then we laid on our oars. 
The stars shone bright ; there was a young moon, so as 
to enable us to see pretty well. We found the paddles 
of the canoe lying on the cross-pieces. We had nothing 
to take from the boat but our tow-rope and the two small 
oars ; these we put into the canoe, and then, getting in 
ourselves, we let the boat go adrift. We put her head to 
the northward, between the island and the main, and 
paddled away as fast as we could. 

The captain was a much better hand than I was, and 
therefore took the office of steersman. The water was as 
smooth as glass, and we made rapid progress, and did 
not discontinue our exertions, except now and then resting 
for a few moments, till the morning dawned, when we 
could hardly distinguish the island we had left, and 
found ourselves about five miles from the mainland. We 
had now time to examine the contents of the canoe, and 
had much reason to be gratified with our acquisition. It 
had three bear-skins at the bottom, several pounds of 
yams, cooked and uncooked, two calabashes full of water, 
bows and arrows, three spears, a tomahawk, three fishing- 
lines and hooks, and some little gourds full of black, 
white, and red paint ; and, what we prized more than all, 
some Jints and a large rusty nail, with rotten wood to 
serve as tinder. 

“ We are fortunate,” said the captain ; “ now, before 
we pull in for the shore we mnst paint ourselves like 


220 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 


Indians ; at all events, you must black yourself, as you 
have no shirt, and I must do the same, although I do 
not require it so much as you do.” 

“ Let us have something to eat and drink first,” replied 
I, “ and we will proceed to our toilet afterward.” 


CHAPTER XVII. 

My adventure with the Indians, with what happened to the Portu- 
guese Captain, my companion. 

Having eaten some venison, and drunk out of the cala- 
bash, the captain painted me black, with here and there 
a line of red and white on the face and shoulders. I 
performed the same duty toward him, and we then 
resumed our paddles, and pushed in a slanting direction 
for the shore. The tide now ran down against us, and 
we could hardly stem it, and finding ourselves opposite a 
beach clear of trees for a quarter of a mile, we agreed to 
run on shore to look for a large stone. We soon found 
one which answered our purpose, and, paddling off again 
to three or four hundred yards, we made the stone fast 
to the bow-rope of our boat and anchored the canoe with 
it. Having succeeded in this, we got out the fishing-lines, 
and, with a piece of raw meat as a bait, we soon had 
several fish in the canoe ; after which we put on no more 
baits, but pretended to fish till the tide slacked, when we 
lifted our anchor and recommenced our paddling to the 
northward. 

At night we landed on a rock, close to the beach, 
having well reconnoitered before it was dark, to see if 
there were any canoes or Indians to be seen on the shore ; 
and thus we continued for five days, during which we 
passed the mouths of one or two rivers, and had gained, 
as we supposed, more than 150 miles along the coast, but 
how much to the northward we could not tell, as we 
followed the windings of the shore. We were twice 
obliged to land to obtain water, but we always did so in 
the day-time, having taken the precaution to black the 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 


221 


whole of our bodies and take off our trowsers before we 
landed. Our deer’s flesh was all gone, and we continued 
to live on fish, cooking as much as we could at one time. 
The collecting fire-wood was the great risk which we ran ; 
for we were then obliged to land where there was wood. 
It was on the sixth day that we were first in danger. As 
we rounded a point, we fell in with another canoe with 
six or seven people in it. They were not more than 300 
yards off when we first saw them. The Indians stood up 
in the canoe, looked at us very earnestly, and then, per- 
ceiving that we were not of their tribe, I presume, pulled 
toward us. We immediately turned and pulled away. 
They had been fishing, and two of them were pulling up 
the lines, while the others paddled, which gave us a little 
advantage ; but they had three paddles and we had only 
two. They shouted and paddled with all their might, 
but they gained little, as they were seven in the canoe, 
five men and two women, and deep in consequence. As 
they gained slowly upon us, notwithstanding all our exer- 
tions, the Portuguese said to me, “ They have no weapons 
in the boat, I should think ; if they had, they would use 
them, for we are within bow-shot. Can you use a bow 
and arrow ? ” 

“ I could once,” replied I, “ use it very fairly ; ” for 
when I was captive with Whyna, she would often practice 
the bow and arrow with me, and I became somewhat 
expert before I left her. 

“ Well, then,” said he, “ let me paddle on, and do 
you put an arrow in the bow and threaten them at all 
events.” 

I did so, and stood up, taking aim as if about to shoot, 
at which they ceased paddling, and after talking a little 
they turned the head of their canoe round, and made for 
the shore. We proceeded, as may be imagined, with all 
diligence. I laid down my bow and arrows and resumed 
my paddle, and in an hour we could no longer see our 
late pursuers. We continued our voyage, and for three 
days met with no further adventures, when, about noon, 
on the fourth day, the sky became overcast, and there 
was every prospect of rough weather. Before night the 
wind and sea rose, and it was no longer possible for us 


222 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 


to keep along the coast, which was already covered with 
breakers. 

We had therefore no remedy but to make for the shore 
and haul up the canoe, for we could not perceive any 
inlet which might shelter us. It was quite dark when we 
dashed the canoe through the breakers and landed. We 
hauled her up some distance, as there was every appear- 
ance of worse weather, and sheltered ourselves under the 
lee of a high rock. The wind now blew fiercely, and rain 
descended in torrents. We tried to light a fire to warm 
ourselves, but could not succeed, so we lay down on one 
bear-skin, and covered ourselves with the others, waiting 
impatiently for daylight. When the day dawned the 
weather was worse than ever. We now looked out for a 
better place of concealment for ourselves and our canoe, 
and found one at about fifty yards’ distance : between 
two high rocks there was a narrow cleft or passage, which 
was large enough for us and for the canoe, and this hid 
us both from the storm and from the sea. Into this cleft 
we hauled our canoe and withdrew ourselves, making a 
meal off some fish we roasted on the embers. We remained 
there for two days, when the weather moderated, but the 
sea was still too rough for us to launch the canoe ; so we 
decided upon remaining one day more, although our pro- 
visions were all gone and our calabashes quite empty. 
On the third day, to our great surprise and alarm, we 
heard the report of a musket not far from us. From this 
we knew that we could not be very far from the English 
settlements, for it was only the Indians near the settle- 
ments who had obtained muskets. But whether it was 
an Indian or a white man who fired, we could not, of 
course, tell. I recollected that, in the last advices we had 
had from Jamestown, our factors had stated that there 
was a cruel war carried on between the Indians and the 
settlers, and that the Indians had ravaged the plantations ; 
but that was two years ago, and how it might be now it 
was impossible to tell. A second report of a musket still 
nearer induced me to creep along by the side of the rock, 
and look out to see if any one was near. To my great 
alarm, I perceived five Indians with muskets not a hund- 
red yards off. I drew back, as I hoped, unperceived, 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 


223 


but the eye of an Indian was too keen. They had dis- 
covered me ; and while I was relating to the Portuguese 
captain what I had seen, they were suddenly upon us. 
We had no time to make resistance, even if we were 
inclined so to do ; we therefore sat still. They came up 
and looked at us. The wet had washed off a great por- 
tion of the paint upon my back and shoulders. One of 
the Indians touched me on the shoulder, and said, “ Ugh ! 
— white man paint like Indian.” They then examined 
the canoe and its contents, and, having spoken a few 
words to each other, apparently relating to the canoe, 
they put a thong of leather around each of our arms, 
and, making a motion for us to follow them, they led us 
away. 

“ We’ve done our best, and could do no more,” said the 
Portuguese ; “ I feel that it’s all over with me now, and 
I shall soon sleep in the bosom of Jesus.” 

My heart was too full to make any reply. The Indians 
led on, and I followed in silence. 

We passed through the woods, which appeared to be 
interminable, until night closed in, and then the Indians 
halted, and while one remained as guard over us the 
others collected wood for a fire. They had some pro- 
visions, but offered none to us. After an hour they lay 
down to sleep round the fire, placing me and the Por- 
tuguese captain next to the fire, and lying outside of us. 
They were soon fast asleep, or appeared to be, when I said 
to the captain, “ Have you your knife ? for if they remain 
asleep, let us wait an hour or so, and if you can cut the 
leather thong which the Indian hold? in his hand, and 
then watch your opportunity, I will do the same, and we 
may escape.” 

“ I have my knife, but my Indian is not asleep,” replied 
he ; “I will wait till he is.” 

“ What signal shall we make if we succeed ? ” said I. 

“ When you are ready, lift your arm up — I shall under- 
stand — and if I am ready I will do the same. Agreed ; 
and now let us be quiet, for depend upon it on r conver- 
sation has roused them all.” 

We then composed ourselves, as if to sleep, and remained 
in that way for more than an hour, by which time we 


224 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 


were convinced that our captors were slumbering. I then 
drew out my knife, for the Indians had not attempted to 
rifle us, and cut the thong which was round my arm, 
without awaking the Indian who had the other end in his 
hand. I remained quiet for a quarter of an hour, when 
the Portuguese lifted up his arm as a signal that he was 
free. I listened attentively, and, being certain that the 
Indians were asleep, I lifted up my arm also. 

The Portuguese rose up carefully, and without noise, 
stepping past the bodies of the Indians, till he was clear 
of the circle. I did the same, and pointed to the muskets, 
which lay on the grass by the Indians. He took one up 
and I another, and we retreated to a short distance. 

“ We must have the other muskets,” said I ; “ stay 
where you are.” 

I advanced cautiously and took up the other three mus- 
kets, and was retreating with them, when one of the 
Indians turned round as if awaking. I ran past the Por- 
tuguese, and making a sign for him to follow me we 
retreated a few yards into the wood, where we could watch 
the Indians without being seen ourselves. The Portu- 
guese motioned to be off, but I detained him, and I was 
right. The Indian roused up and sat upon his haunches ; 
perceiving that we had escaped, he waked up the others. 
They started on their feet, and looking round found that 
the muskets were all gone ; and then they held a consul- 
tation. At last they appeared to have made up their 
minds to follow, and, if possible, recapture us, for they 
went back in the direction of the sea. 

“ Now, then, we must hide three of the muskets,” said 
I, in a whisper, “ and keep the others to defend our- 
selves.” 

We examined and found that they were all loaded, and 
the Portuguese then said to me, “ There are five of them. 
If they meet with us, and we discharge two muskets and 
we do not kill, we shall be at their mercy. If we do kill, 
still there will be three against two ; we had better carry 
all the muskets. Do you take two, and I will take 
three.” 

As I thought he was right, I consented, and we now 
went the same path toward the sea which the Indians had 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 


225 


done before us in pursuit of us. We walked fast, as we 
knew that the Indians would do the same, and they had 
the start of us, so that we were not likely to come up with 
them. It was severe work, but we did not slacken our 
pace, and before dawn the sea was quite visible through 
the branches of the trees, for we had arrived at the out- 
skirts of the wood. 

As soon as we had gained the beach, which was 500 
yards wide, we looked round to see if we could perceive 
the Indians, but we could observe nobody. 

“ Let us, while it is yet dark, go round so as to get on 
the opposite side of the rocks where we were concealed,” 
said the Portuguese. “ If they are there, we shall take 
them by surprise.” 

Keeping just within the wood, we walked half a mile 
to the southward, and then emerged just as the day was 
breaking, and made for the rocks. As soon as we arrived, 
we examined very cautiously before we entered the cleft, 
but there was nobody there, and the canoe was safe. 

“ They are not here,” said I ; “ where can they be ? ” 

“ They can not be far off,” said the Portuguese ; “ I 
suspect they are hidden somewhere, and intend to surprise 
us while we are launching our canoe, and when our mus- 
kets will be out of our hands.” 

“ I agree with you ; let us now wait at some little dis- 
tance from the rocks till broad daylight — we shall then 
be secure from surprise.” 

We did so, and when the sun rose we looked well round, 
but could see nobody. We entered the cleft, and were 
about to lay down our muskets, and lay hold of the canoe, 
when I perceived a small piece of rock to drop down. 
This caused me immediately to suspect the truth, and I 
cried to the Portuguese to come back with me. He did 
so, and I told him that I was certain that the Indians had 
climbed the rock, and were lying down on the top of it, 
ready to pounce upon us. 

“ Depend upon it they must be there,” said he, when I 
mentioned the falling piece of rock ; “ let us walk round 
and see if we can discover them.” 

We did so, but they were too well concealed. 

« But what must be done now ? ” said he. “ It is use- 


226 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 


less our attempting to clamber to the top of the rock, for 
no one could do it with a musket in his hand.” 

“No,” replied I, “that is certain ; and if we attempt 
to bring the canoe out of the cleft, they may drop down 
upon us.” 

“ I think,” said he, “ that if we were to go in and take 
the tow-rope in our hands, which is several yards long, 
we might haul out the canoe by it, and when once it is 
clear of the cleft they can not move without our seeing 
them.” 

“We will try, at all events,” replied I. “ Do you stay 
on the watch while I get hold of the tow-rope and bring 
it out.” 

The Indians did not expect this maneuver, it was clear. 
Still keeping the muskets in our possession, the butts on 
the sand, and the muzzles resting on our shoulders, we 
laid hold of the tow-rope, and by great exertion hauled 
the canoe several yards away from between the two 
rocks. We then paused for breath after a minute or two, 
with our eyes fixed upon the top of the rock to see if 
they moved, and then we hauled it at least a hundred 
yards further off, when for the first time I perceived that 
the bow and arrows were not in the canoe, and that they 
must have been taken by the Indians. 

“ Then we must haul again,” said the Portuguese, 
when I stated this to him, “ till we are out of bow-shot. 
Let us put the muskets into the canoe, and drag it as fast 
as we can.” 

We did so, and gained another hundred yards before 
we stopped, when an arrow was discharged from the 
summit of the rock, and buried itself in the sand close to 
my feet. 

“ Haul again,” said the Portuguese, “ we are not out of 
shot yet.” 

Again we exerted ourselves, and gained another hund- 
red yards, during which two more arrows were dis- 
charged, and one of them went through the left arm of 
my comrade ; but as it was through the fleshy part, and 
did not touch the bone, it did not disable him. A third 
arrow was sent after us, but did not reach us, and we 
knew that we were out of distance. 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 


227 


“ Cut the shaft of the arrow, and draw it through the 
arm,” said the Portuguese. 

“ Not now,” said I ; “they will perceive me doing so, 
and will think that you are disabled. That may induce 
them to rush upon us, thinking they have only one man 
to deal with.” 

“ Well, it’s no great matter,” replied he ; “ we must 
now drag our canoe down to the water and launch her, 
if they will let us. We have outwitted them so far.” 

We now turned the head of the canoe toward the sea, 
and slowly dragged her down ; our eyes, as may be sup- 
posed, constantly kept upon the rock, to see if the 
Indians would move, but they did not. They perhaps 
felt that they had no chance with us, having all the fire- 
arms and an open beach in our favor. We launched our 
canoe without further interruption on their part, and in 
a few minutes, taking care to be out of arrow distance, 
we passed the rock with our head to the northward. 
When about two miles off, we perceived the Indians to 
descend from the rock and walk away into the woods. 

“ Let us praise God for this miraculous escape,” said I 
to the Portuguese. 

“ I do ; and the holy patron saint who has preserved 
me,” replied the Portuguese captain ; “ but I am still 
heavy at heart. I feel that we have escaped only to 
come into more strange and fresh calamity. I shall 
never get back to Lisbon, — that I feel convinced of.” 

I tried all I could to encourage him, but it was of no 
avail. He told me that the presentiment was too strong, 
and could not be overcome by any argument. Indeed, 
he appeared to have allowed the idea so to have taken 
possession of his mind, that his reason became enervated ; 
and, having heard how the Indians burned their prisoners, 
he talked about martyrdom at the stake, and rising up to 
heaven in great glory, there to be received by the whole 
body of saints and legions of angels. 

“ What is the use of our thus laboring at the paddle ? ” 
said he ; “ why not at once let us go ashore and receive 
the crown of martyrdom ? I am ready ; for I long for 
the hour, and shall rejoice.” 

I said all I could to keep him quiet, but it was useless ; 


228 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 


and such was his insanity, that he gradually neared the 
shore by steering against me with his paddle, so that I 
could not prevent it. I had drawn the shaft of the arrow 
through his arm, and he appeared to feel no pain. I 
expostulated with him at his keeping the canoe so near 
the shore, but he smiled and gave no reply. 

We had the stream against us and made but little way, 
and it vexed me very much to hear him talk so loud as 
he did, as the Indians must have heard him, and I thought 
would follow us along the coast ; but he ransacked the 
whole book of martyrs, telling me how one had his body 
sawn in two, another was pinched to death ; this one 
burned, that tortured ; every variety of death he entered 
upon during the whole of that day without ceasing. 

I ascribed much of this to the pain arising from the 
wounded arm, notwithstanding which he paddled with as 
much vigor as ever. As the night came on I entreated him 
to hold his tongue, but it was in vain, and I felt assured 
that his reason was quite gone. He continued to talk 
loud and rave without intermission, and I now considered 
our fate as sealed. We had no water in the boat or pro- 
visions of any kind, and I proposed that we heave-to 
and catch some fish, telling him that if he talked we 
should scare them away. 

This made him quiet for a time, but as soon as we had 
hooked four or five fish, he again commenced his history 
of the glorious martyrs. I prayed him to be silent, for a 
short time at least, and he was so for about four or five 
minutes, when he would break out into some ejaculation, 
which I immediately stopped. At last he could talk no 
more for want of water ; his lips were glued together, 
and so were mine. Nevertheless, I continued paddling 
for two hours more, when I found by the canoe ground- 
ing that he had steered her on the beach. There was no 
help for it. We landed and went in search of water, 
which we found about half of a mile from where our 
canoe was beached. 

We drank heartily, filled the calabash, and were 
returning to the canoe, when he again commenced talk- 
ing as loud as ever. I was in great anger, but I put my 
hand before his mouth, beseeching him in a whisper to 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 


229 


be quiet. As we were doing this, we were suddenly sprung 
upon and seized by several Indians, and in a minute were 
bound hands and feet. 

“ I knew it,” cried the Portuguese ; “ I knew it 
would be so. Well, I am prepared ; are not you, my 
good friend ? ” 

I made no reply. I felt that in his madness he had 
sacrificed his own life and mine also ; but it was the will 
of Heaven. The Indians left two to guard us, and went 
down to the canoe, returning with their muskets. I soon 
perceived that they were the same whom we had escaped 
from the night before, and the one who had spoken a 
little English when we were first captured, now came to 
me and said, “ White man paint like Indian, steal gun — 
ugh.” 

When the Indians had returned from the canoe, our 
feet were unbound, and we were again led away by the 
leather thong which was fast to our arms. The Portu- 
guese now began to find his tongue again, and talked in- 
cessantly, the Indians not checking him ; from which it 
was evident that they were on their own domains. After 
four hours’ walking they kindled a fire, and went to re- 
pose as before : but this time they took our knives from 
us, and bound our legs so tight that they gave us much 
pain. I did not expostulate, as I knew it was useless. 
My companion, as the thong entered into his flesh, seemed 
pleased, saying, “ Now my martyrdom is commencing.” 

Alas ! poor man — but I will not anticipate. We traveled 
three days, during which we were supplied with a small 
portion of parched Indian corn every day, just sufficient 
for our sustenance, and no more. On the fourth morn- 
ing the Indians, after an hour’s traveling, set up some 
shrill and barbarous cries which I afterward discovered 
was their warwhoop. These cries were replied to by 
others at a distance, and in about a quarter of an hour 
afterward we found ourselves close to a number of wig- 
wams, as they are termed (Indian houses), and soon 
surrounded by a large party of men, women and children, 
who greeted us with taunts and menaces. 

We were led into a larger wigwam than the others, 
where we found several Indians of grave aspect as- 


230 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 


sembled, and a man who could speak English was ordered 
in as an interpreter. He asked us where we came 
from in the canoe. I replied, that we came from the 
south, but we had been wrecked in a big ship, and had 
taken the canoe, which we found on the beach. They 
asked no more questions. We were led out, and in about 
an hour afterward the Indian who had spoken English to 
us when we were captured, came up with two others and 
painted us black, saying, “ The white men like paint. 
Black paint good.” 

I did not know till afterward that this painting black 
was a sign that we were condemned to death, but so it 
was. They took off our trowsers, the only garment we 
had on, and left us naked. To my surprise, they did not 
take the diamond which was sewed up in leather from off 
my neck ; but, as I learned subsequently, the Indians are 
much given to conjurors and charms, wearing many round 
their own necks and about their persons, and they respect 
the charms that their enemies wear, indeed are afraid of 
them, lest they should be harmed by having them in their 
possession. We remained in a wigwam during that day, 
with guards over us. The following day we were led 
out and cast loose, and we found all the Indians, women 
and children, ranged in two lines, each holding in their 
hands a club or stick, or rod of some description or 
another. 

We were led to the end of the row, and looked about 
us in amazement. They made signs to us which we did 
not understand, and while we were remaining in doubt 
as to what was to be our fate, an old woman, who had 
been menacing and grinning at me for some time, and 
who was the most hideous animal that I ever beheld in 
the shape of a woman, thrust a straw in my eye, giving 
me most excruciating agony. I was so carried away by 
rage and pain, that I saluted her with a kick in the 
stomach, which laid her doubled up on the ground, ex- 
pecting to be scalped for so doing the next moment. On 
the contrary, the Indians laughed, while some of the other 
women dragged her away. 

At last the interpreter came, and from him we learned 
that we had to run the gauntlet, and that, as soon as we 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 


231 


gained the large lodge where we had been examined by 
the old Indians on the day previous, we were safe, and 
that we must run for that as fast as we could. The Por- 
tuguese, who was still as mad as ever, was then pushed 
on ; he would not run, but walked, glorying in the blows, 
which showered down upon him like hail ; and, more- 
over, he prevented me from running for some time, till I 
got past him. I had been cruelly punished, and was mad 
with pain, when I perceived a tall, gaunt Indian waiting 
for me with a heavy club. Careless of life or consequences, 
I rushed past him, and as I passed I threw out my fist 
with such impetus, that, hitting him under the right ear, 
he fell senseless, and it appears that he never rose again, 
for the blow killed him ; after which I at last gained the 
council-house, and was soon afterward followed by my 
companion, who was streaming with blood. We were 
then led away, and tied by our necks to two stakes about 
twenty yards apart, and there we remained for the night. 

The Portuguese passed the night in singing ; I passed 
it in silence and prayer. I felt convinced that we were 
to die, and I feared that it would be by fire or torture, 
for I had heard something of the manners and customs 
of these Indians. I made my peace with God as well as 
a poor sinner could, prayed for mercy through Jesus 
Christ, sighed my adieux to Amy, and made up my mind 
to die. 

Early the next morning the Indians brought firewood, 
and placed it in bundles round the stakes, at a distance 
of about fourteen yards from the center. They then 
went to the Portuguese, tied his hands behind him, and 
exchanged the rope by which he had been fastened for a 
much stronger one, one end of which they fastened to his 
wrists behind him, and the other to the stake. As they 
left me as I was before, it was plain that the Portuguese 
was to suffer first. They then set fire to the piles of 
wood which were round the stake, which were too far 
from him to burn him, and I could not imagine what 
they intended to do, but you may conceive that I was in 
a state of awful suspense and anxiety, as I was well con- 
vinced that his fate, whatever it might be, would be my 
own. 


232 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 


During these appalling preparations, the Portuguese 
appeared as if he really enjoyed the scene. 

“Now, my good friend,” said he to me, “ you shall 
see how I can suffer for the true faith. Even a heretic 
like you shall be converted by my example, and I shall 
ascend to heaven with you in my arms. Come on, ye 
fiends ; come on, ye heathens, and see how a Christian 
can suffer.” 

Much as I felt for him and for myself, I could not 
lament that his reason had left him, as I thought his 
sufferings would be less ; but his exclamations were 
soon drowned by a loud yell from the Indians, who all 
rushed upon my unfortunate companion. 

For a moment or two they were crowded so thick 
round him that I could not perceive what they were 
doing, but after that they separated, and I beheld him 
bleeding profusely, his ears and nose having been cut 
off, and a broken iron ramrod passed through both 
cheeks. And now a scene took place, at the remem- 
brance of which, even now, my blood curdles. Some 
caught up the burning sticks and applied them to his 
flesh, others stuck him full of small splints, the ends of 
which they lighted. The Indian warriors shot at him 
with muskets loaded with powder only, so as to burn him 
terribly on every part of the body. The women took 
up handfuls of lighted ashes and showered them down 
on him, so that the ground he trod upon was a mass of 
burning embers, and he walked upon fire. 

Red-hot irons were now brought forward, and his 
body seared in all parts, his tormentors seeking out 
where they could give him the most pain. At last one 
applied the hot iron to his eyes, and burned them out. 
Imagine my feelings at this horrid scene — imagine the 
knowledge that this was to be also my fate in a short 
time, but what is more strange to tell, imagine, Madam, 
my companion not only deriding his torturers, but not 
flinching from the torture ; on the contrary, praising God 
for his goodness in thus allowing him to be a martyr for 
the true faith, offering his body to their inflictions, and 
shouting manfully ; but such was the behavior of my 
insane friend, and this behavior appeared to give great 
satisfaction to the Indians. 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 


233 


For nearly two hours did this torture continue, his 
body was black and bloody all over, and the smell of the 
burning flesh was horrible ; but by this time it appeared 
as if he was much exhausted, and, indeed, appeared to 
be almost insensible to pain. He walked round the 
stake as before upon the burning coals, but appeared 
not to know when further torture was applied to him or 
not. He now sang hymns in Portuguese in a low voice, 
for he was much exhausted. Soon afterward he stag- 
gered and fell down with his face upon the burning 
embers ; but even the flesh of his face grilling, as it were, 
appeared to have no effect upon him. An Indian then 
went up to him, and with his knife cut a circle round his 
head, and tore off the whole scalp, flesh and hair together, 
and when he had done this the old woman whom I had 
saluted with a kick before I ran the gauntlet, and who 
had his ears hanging on her neck to a string, lifted up a 
handful of burning coals, and put them upon his bleed- 
ing head. 

This seemed to rouse him. He lifted up his head, 
but his features were no longer to be distinguished, as 
his face was burned to a black coal, and he said, “ Take 
me, ye holy saints, — Angels, receive me,” and, to my 
great astonishment, he again rose on his legs, and tot- 
tered round and round for a few minutes. At last he 
sank down, with his back against the stake, and one of 
the Indians cleaved his brain with his tomahawk ; and 
thus ended the life and the misery of my unfortunate 
companion — and it was now my turn. 

“ Well,” thought I, “ it is but two hours of suffering, 
and then I shall be beyond their malice. May God have 
mercy upon my soul.” 

The same preparations were now made for me. I was 
fastened with the stout rope, and my arms tied behind 
me, the wood was fired, and one of the chiefs was 
haranguing the Indians. He finished, the low yell was 
given, when the old woman whom I had before mentioned, 
ran up to me, and, saying something which I could not 
understand, put her hand upon me. 

When she did this the other Indians, who were about 
to rush on me, drew back with signs of disappointment 


234 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 


on many of their wild countenances. The chiefs then 
went into the council-house, leaving me tied where I was, 
and the wood burning around me, the mass of Indians 
standing about as if waiting the decision of the chiefs. 
After a time three Indians, one of whom was the inter- 
preter, came up to me, and, kicking aside the burning 
poles, cast me lose. 

I asked the interpreter what he was about to do. He 
replied, “ You kill Indian here (pointing to his own ear), 
you kill him dead. Squaw lose husband — want another 
— take you — stead of him.” 

They led me to the council-house before the chiefs. 
The old woman whom I had kicked was there. It was 
her husband that I had killed by the blow behind the 
ear, and she had claimed me in his stead, and, according 
to the custom of the country, her claim was allowed, and 
I was made over to her, and received into the tribe. 
Strange custom for a woman to marry the murderer of 
her husband, but still such it was, and thus did I find 
myself freed from the stake when I least expected it. 
The principal chief made me a speech, which was inter- 
preted, in which he told me that I was now the husband 
of Manou, and was one of their own tribe ; that I must 
be strong in war, and must hunt and procure venison for 
my family. 

They then washed off the black paint, and after a few 
more speeches and ceremonies I was handed over to the 
hideous old hag, whose neck was still decorated with the 
two ears of my companion. To say that I would have 
preferred the torture would be saying too much, but that 
I loathed the creature to excess was certain. However, 
I said nothing, but allowed her to take me by the hand 
and lead me to her wigwam. As soon as we were in she 
brought me some venison, which I ate greedily, for I had 
had nothing for thirty-six hours. She then offered me 
leggins, as they call them, which the Indians wear, and 
the other portions of the Indian dress, which probably 
belonged to her late husband. I put them on, as I was 
glad to cover my nakedness, and, worn out with walking 
and exertion, I first thanked God for my miraculous 
preservation, and then lay down and fell into a deep sleep. 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 


235 


It was not until the next day that I awoke, and I then 
perceived the old woman rubbing oil upon the deep cuts 
made in my wrists and shoulders by the leather thongs. 
She again set meat before me, and I ate heartily, but I 
looked upon her with abhorrence, and when she 
attempted to fondle me I turned away and spit with dis- 
gust, at which she retired, grumbling. I now had leisure 
to reflect. I passed over with a shudder the scenes that 
had passed, and again returned thanks to God for my 
deliverance. I called to mind how often I had been 
preserved and delivered. From my bondage in Africa, 
from my imprisonment in the Tower, from my hopeless 
slavery in the mines, from our wreck on the island, and 
now, after passing through such dangers, from an almost 
certain cruel death by torture ! Truly did I feel how 
grateful I ought to be for that Providence which had 
often preserved me, and that my only reliance in future 
must be in its gracious protection. 

But here I was, married to a woman I detested, and 
living with barbarians ; and I said to myself, “ That kind 
Heaven, which has already done so much for me, will, in 
its own good time, also release me from this thraldom. 
In the meanwhile let me not murmur, but be thankful. 
My squaw, as they call their wives among the Indians, 
now came up to me and offered to paint me, and I 
thought it advisable that she should, as I felt that the 
sooner I conformed myself to their customs the more 
chance I had of making my escape, which I was resolved 
to do the first opportunity. 

As soon as she had completed my toilet I walked out 
of the wigwam, that I might look about me and be seen. 
The Indians who were sauntering about, met me with 
a friendly “ Ugh,” which appeared a favorite monosyl- 
lable with them. At last I met with the interpreter, and 
began to converse with him. I asked what nation I 
was now belonging to, and he said the Massowomicks. 
I asked how large their country was, and he told me 
much which I could not understand, except that it 
appeared to me a very powerful nation. 

I was very careful of mentioning the English, or any 
thing about their settlement, although I was anxious to 


236 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 


know where it was ; but I asked him whether they were 
at war with any other nation. He said, “ No, they had 
been at war with other tribes, but that they had all made 
peace that they might join against the white man, who 
had taken their land.” 

“ I am an Indian now,” said I. 

“ Yes, and you will forget the white man,” said he. 
“You have now red blood in your veins. You marry 
Indian wife, you all the same as one Indian.” 

I said, “ War Indian beat his wife, suppose she talk 
too much ? ” 

“ Plenty talk, plenty beat,” said he. 

“Suppose my wife talk too much and I beat her, 
what Indian people say ? ” 

“ Say good. Suppose wife too old, you take two wife, 
one more young.” 

I was very much pleased with this conversation ; not 
that I had the slightest idea of profiting by his informa- 
tion by taking another wife, but I felt such a disgust at my 
present one, and had already seen what a fury she could 
be, that I was resolved, if necessary, to show her that I 
was master, for I felt certain that if I did not, she would 
soon attempt to master me, and so it turned out. 

On the third day she took down a bow and arrows and 
made a sign to me to go out, and, I presumed, bring 
back food ; and as there was nothing in the house I 
thought the request reasonable. I therefore went out of 
the wigwam and found that many of the young men 
were going out on a hunting-party, and that I was to 
join them. We set out and traveled for six hours before 
we came to the hunting-ground, and as the deer passed 
me I thought of Whyna and my hunting excursions with 
her. I was, however, fortunate, and killed two deer, 
much to the surprise of the Indians, who thought a white 
man could not use a bow and arrows, and I rose very 
much in their estimation in consequence. The deer was 
cut up, and we hung upon branches what we could not 
carry. 

We did not go home that night, but feasted over a 
large fire. The next morning we all carried home our 
loads, and mine was as large as any of the others, if 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 


237 


not larger ; neither did I flag on the way, for I was 
naturally very strong and active, and had lately been 
inured to fatigue. When we arrived, the squaws 
and men among the others were dispatched for the 
remainder of the venison. I now went out every day 
by myself and practiced with my bow, till I had become 
more expert, for I wanted practice. I had no musket, 
but I had a tomahawk and a long knife. I began to pick 
up a few words of the language, and by means of 
the interpreter I gained them very fast. Before I had 
been three months with the Indians I had acquired their 
confidence and respect. They found that I was expert, 
and able to gain my own livelihood, and I may add that 
before I had been three months I had also mastered my 
wife. When she found that I would not submit to her ca- 
resses, she was very indignant and violent, but I immedi- 
ately knocked her down, and beat her unmercifully. 
This brought her to her senses, and after that I treated 
her as my slave with great rigor, and as she was a 
notorious scold the Indians liked me all the better for it. 

You may think that this was not fair treatment toward 
a woman who had saved my life ; but she only saved it 
for her own purposes, and would have worn my ears, as 
well as my companion’s, if I had not killed her husband. 
The fact is, I had no alternative ; I must have either 
treated her kindly and submitted to her nauseous endear- 
ments, or have kept her at a respectful distance by sever- 
ity, and I hardly need say that I preferred the latter. 
So far as her choice of a husband was concerned, she made 
a bad one, for she received nothing but blows and bad 
usage. I had one day driven my wife out of the wigwam 
in consequence of her presuming to “ talk too much,” 
as the Indian said, when the interpreter told me that 
one of the chiefs was willing that I should marry his 
daughter, polygamy being one of their customs. 

I was very much annoyed at this, for I knew the 
young girl very well : she was very graceful and very 
pretty ; and I felt that my fidelity to Amy would be in 
great danger if the marriage was to take place ; and if 
proposed, I dared not refuse so great a distinction. 

I replied that I was fortunate, but that I feared my 


238 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 


present wife would make her very unhappy, as she 
wanted to be chief woman of the wigwam, and when 
I was away I could not tell what the old woman might 
do to her, and the conversation was dropped. 

This little Indian had, before this, shown me as much 
favor as an Indian girl ever ventures to show, sufficient, 
at all events, to satisfy me that I was not disagreeable to 
her, and what the interpreter had said made me very 
uncomfortable. However, I consoled myself with the 
recollection that if I were compelled to marry the girl, it 
would be an involuntary infidelity on my part, and on that 
account might well be excused ; for the hope of again 
rejoining Amy never left me at any time. 

One day I went out in search of deer, and was led 
away from my companions after a buck which I had 
wounded and attempted to overtake. They saw me in 
chase of my quarry, and left me in pursuit. I fol- 
lowed for several hours, continually coming up with it 
and as continually losing it again. At last, I heard the 
report of a musket close to where the deer was last seen 
by me, and I thought some Indian had shot it. I walked 
forward, however, very cautiously, and perceived a white 
man standing by the animal, which lay at his feet. I 
started back, for I did not know whether I had fallen in 
with a friend or a foe ; but as I knew that he had not 
had time to reload his musket, I hallooed to him, con- 
cealing myself at the same time behind a tree. 

“ Is that you, Evans ? ” said the man in reply. 

“ No,” said I, “ it is an Englishman.” 

“ Well, show yourself, then,” said he. 

“ I am dressed as an Indian,” replied I ; “ I was 
taken by the Indians.” 

“ Well, come along,” said the man, who was attired as 
a seafaring man. 

•I came from behind the tree, and when he saw me he 
snatched up his musket. 

“ Don’t be afraid,” said I. 

“ Afraid ! ” said he ; “ I should like to see what I am 
afraid of ; but I’ll be on my guard.” 

“ That’s right,” I replied. 

I then told him that I had been taken by the Indians, 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 


239 


and they saved my life because one of their women chose 
me as her husband, and that I was anxious to escape 
from them. 

“Well,” said he, “lam on board of a schooner at 
anchor down below in the river. There are a few of us 
come on shore to get some venison, and I have lost my 
comrades ; but I had no idea that the Indians were down 
here so close to the English settlements.” 

“ How close are we then ? ” said I, “ for I know not 
where I am. This is certainly not our usual hunting- 
ground, for I have been led many miles from it, in pur- 
suit of the animal you have just shot.” 

“ Well, I thought so ; for I have been on shore here 
more than once, and I have never met with an Indian. 
You ask me how far you are from the settlement ; that I 
can hardly tell you, because the settlers have spread out so 
far ; but you are about forty or fifty miles from James- 
town.” 

“ And what river, then, is your schooner at anchor 
in ? ” 

“ I don’t know the name,” replied the man ; “ I’m not 
sure that it has a name. We come here for wood and 
water, because it is quiet, not inhabited, and no questions 
asked.” 

“ What are you, then ? ” inquired I. 

“ Why, to tell you the truth, we are what are called 
* Jolly Rovers;’ and if you have a mind to come on 
board, we can find a berth for you, I dare say.” 

“ Many thanks,” replied I ; “ but I am not sufficiently 
fond of the sea, and I should be of no use ” (for by this 
term of Jolly Rover I knew that they were pirates). 

“ That’s as you please,” replied he ; “ no harm’s done.” 

“ No,” I replied ; “ and I thank you for your kind 
offer, but I can not live long on board of a vessel. Will 
you tell me which is the right track to the English plant- 
ations ? ” 

“ Why,” said he, “ they bear right out in that direction ; 
and I dare say, if you travel five or six leagues, you will 
fall aboard some plantation or another — right in that 
quarter ; follow your nose, old fellow, and you can’t go 
wrong.” 


the Privateersman. 


i 40 

“ Many thanks,” I replied ;“am I likely to meet your 
companions? — they may take me for an Indian.” 

“ Not in that direction,” replied he ; “ they were astern 
of me a long way.” 

“ Farewell, then, and many good thanks,” I replied. 

“ Good-by, old fellow ; and the sooner you rub off that 
paint the sooner you’ll look like a Christian,” said the 
careless rover, as I walked away. 

“No bad advice,” I thought, for I was now determined 
to make for the English settlements as fast as I could, 
“ and I will do so when I once see an English habitation, 
but not before ; I may fall in with Indians yet.” 

I then set off as fast as I could, and being now inured 
to running for a long time without stopping, I left the 
rover a long way behind me in a very short time. I con- 
tinued my speed till it was dark, when I heard the bark- 
ing of a dog, which I knew was English, for the Indian 
dogs do not bark. I then proceeded cautiously and in 
the direction where I heard the dog bark, and arrived in 
a quarter of an hour to a cleared ground, with a rail 
fence round it. 

“ Thank God ! ” I cried, “ that I am at last among my 
own countrymen.” 

I considered, however, that it would not be prudent 
to show myself, especially in my Indian paint, at such a 
time of night, and I therefore sat down under the lee-side 
of a large tree, and remained there till morning. I then 
looked for water, and having found a running stream I 
washed off my paint, and appeared what I really was, a 
white man in an Indian dress. I then went up again to 
the clearing, and looked for the habitation, which I dis- 
covered on the top of the hill, about four hundred yards 
off. The trees were cleared away for about three hundred 
yards all round it. It was built of heavy logs, let into 
one another, with one window only, and that very small. 
The door was still shut, I walked up to it, and tapped at 
the door. 

“ Who’s there ? ” replied a hoarse voice. 

“ An Englishman, and a stranger,” I replied. " I have 
just escaped from the Indians.” 

“ Well, we’ll see what you are in a very short time,” 
replied the voice. “ James, get me my gun.” 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 


241 


In a minute the door opened, and I beheld a woman 
more than six feet high, of gaunt appearance and large 
dimensions : I thought that I had never seen such a 
masculine creature before. It was her voice which I 
had heard. Two men were seated by the fire-place. 

“ Who are you ? ” said she, with the musket ready for 
the present. 

I told her in a few words. 

“ Show me the palm of your hand — turn it up at once.” 

I did so, without the least idea of the reason for the 
demand ; but I afterward discovered that it was to 
ascertain whether I was one of those who had been trans- 
ported to the settlement, as they all had the letter R 
branded on them. 

“ Oh, you're not a gaol-bird, then, I see : you may 
come in ; but you’ll give me that bow and arrows if you 
please.” 

“ Certainly,” replied I, “ if you wish it.” 

“ Why, there’s nothing like making sure in this world ; 
and although you look a very peaceable, good-looking 
sort of personage, notwithstanding your Indian set-out, 
still I’ve known just as amiable people as you, in appear- 
ance, very mischievous at times. Now come in, and let 
us hear what you have to say for yourself. Jeykell, get 
some more wood.” 

One man went out to obey her orders ; the other sat 
by the fire with his musket between his knees. I sat 
down by the fire, at the request of the woman, who had 
seated herself by the side of the man, and then, on her 
repeating her question, I gave her a narrative of my ad- 
ventures, from the time that I left Rio. 

“ Well,” says she, “ we seldom hear stories like them ; 
it's all the world like a book ; and pray what’s that thing 
(pointing to the diamond in its case) you have hanging 
to your neck there ? you have left that out in your history.” 

“ That’s a charm given me by my Indian wife, to pre- 
serve me from disasters from wild animals ; no panther, 
wolf, or bear will ever attack me.” 

“ Well,” said she, “ if so be it has that power, all I can 
say is, it’s not a bad charm to wear in these parts, for 
there are animals enough in the woods in summer, and 


242 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 


round the house all night in winter ; but I don’t believe 
a bit in the charm, and that’s the truth ; however, if it 
does no good, it can’t do no harm, so you may keep it on, 
and welcome.” 

“ May I ask how far it is to Jamestown ? ” said I. 

“ What, going to Jamestown already? I suppose you 
expect to be there to-night ? ” 

“ Not exactly, my good woman,” replied I. “ I must 
trespass upon your kindness to give me something to eat, 
for I am hungry.” 

“ Good woman ! bah ! and pray how dare you call me 
good woman ? Call me mistress, if you want any thing.” 

“ I beg your pardon,” said I. “ Well, then, mistress, 
will you give me something to eat ? ” 

“ Yes, I will. James, fetch the meal-cake and a bit of 
salt pork, and give him to eat, while I call the cows from 
the bush.” 

The mistress, as I shall in future call her, then put 
down her musket and left the cabin. During her absence 
I entered into conversation with the man called James, 
for the other had gone out. To my inquiry how far it was 
to Jamestown, he replied that he really did not know ; 
that he was sent out a convict, and sold for ten years to 
the husband of the mistress, who had died two years ago ; 
that this man had a small vessel, in which he went to 
Jamestown by water, and that he had returned with 
him in his vessel ; that the distance by water he con- 
sidered about one hundred and fifty miles, but by land it 
was not half that distance ; that he did not know the 
way, nor did he believe that there was any road as yet 
made to Jamestown, as this plantation was quite by 
itself, and a long way from any other. He understood 
that the nearest plantation was twenty miles off, and he 
knew there was no road to it, as no one ever went or 
came except by water. 

“ But,” said I, “ are not the settlers at war with the 
Indian tribes that surround them ? ” 

“Yes; and have been now for three or four years ; 
and the Indians have done great mischief to the planta- 
tions, and killed a great many people, but the settlers 
have punished them severely.” 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 


243 


“ Then how is it that this plantation, which is so soli- 
tary, has not been attacked ?” 

“ Because the mistress’s husband was a great friend of 
the Indians, and, it is said, used to bring them cargoes 
of muskets and ammunition from Jamestown, contrary 
to all law and regulation. But if he was friendly with 
them, the mistress is not ; for she has quarreled with the 
principal chief, and I should not be surprised if we were 
attacked some day, and all scalped.” 

“ And what does the mistress say to that ? ” 

“ Oh, she don’t care ; she’d fight a hundred Indians, 
or white men either. I never saw such a creature — she’s 
afraid of nothing.” 

“ Who is the other man I saw here ? ” 

“ Oh, he’s another like myself. There was three of us, 
but one was drowned by falling overboard from the 
sloop.” 

“Well, but my good fellow, how shall I get to James- 
town ? ” 

“ I’m sure I can’t tell ; but my idea is that you will 
never get there unless mistress chooses.” 

“ Why, surely she won’t detain me by force ? ” 

“ Won’t she ? — you don’t know her. Why she’d stop 
an army,” replied the man. “ I don’t think that she will 
let you go — I don’t know ; but that’s my opinion. She 
wants another hand.” 

“ What, do you mean to say that she’ll make me work ? ” 

“ I mean to say that, according to the laws of the set- 
tlement, she has a right to detain you. Any person 
found roving here, who can not give a satisfactory ac- 
count of himself, may be detained till something is heard 
about him ; for he may be a runaway convict, or a run- 
away apprentice, which is much the same, after all. Now, 
she may say that your account of yourself is not satisfac- 
tory, and therefore she detained you ; and if you won’t 
work, she won’t give you to eat ; so there you are.” 

“ Well, we will see if she is able.” 

“ Able ! if you mean strong enough, why she’d take 
you up with one hand ; and she is as resolute and severe 
as she is strong. I had rather have to deal with three 
men, and that’s the truth.” 


244 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 


“What’s the truth, James?” cried the mistress, com- 
ing in at the door. “ Let’s hear the truth from your lips, 
it will be something new.” 

“ I said that I was sent here for finding a pocketbook, 
mistress ; that’s all.” 

“ Yes ; but you did not tell him where you found it 
— at the bottom of a gentleman’s coat-pocket, you 
know. You can only tell the truth by halves yet, I 
see.” 

Wishing to ascertain how far the man’s suspicions were 
correct, I said to her, 

“ I have good friends in Jamestown : if I were once 
there I could procure money and any thing else to any 
amount that I required.” 

“ Well,” says she, “ you may have ; but I’m afraid that 
the post don’t go out to-day. One would think, after all 
your wanderings and difficulties, that you’d be glad to be 
quiet a little, and remain here ; so we’ll talk about James- 
town some time about next spring.” 

“ Indeed, mistress, I hope you will not detain me here. 
I can pay you handsomely, on my arrival at Jamestown, 
for your kind treatment and any trouble you may take 
for me.” 

“ Pay me ! what do I want with money ? — there’s no 
shops here with ribbons, and calicoes, and muslins ; and 
if there were, I’m not a fine madam. Money ! why I’ve 
no child to leave what I have to — no husband to spend 
it for me. I have bags and bags of dollars, young man, 
which my husband heaped up, and they are of as much 
use to me as they are now to him.” 

“ I am glad that you are so rich, mistress, and more 
glad that your money is so little cared for and so little 
wanted ; but if you do not want money, I do very much 
want to get back to my friends, who think I am dead, 
and mourn for me.” 

“Well, if they have mourned, their sorrow is over by 
this time, and therefore your staying here will not distress 
them more. I may as well tell you at once that you shall 
not go ; so make up your mind to be contented, and 
you’ll fare none the worse for it.” 

This was said in so decided a tone, that, bearing in 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 


245 


mind what I had heard from the convict servant, I 
thought it advisable to push the question no further for 
the present, making up my mind that I would wait a 
short time, and then make my escape, if she still persisted 
in detaining me by force ; but this I could not venture 
upon until I was in possession of fire-arms, and I could 
not obtain them while she had any suspicion. I there- 
fore replied — 

“ Well, since you are determined I shall not go, I 
have nothing more to say, except that I will wait your 
pleasure, and, in the mean time, let me make myself 
as useful as I can, for I don’t want to eat the bread of 
idleness.” 

“You’re a very sensible young man,” replied she; 
“ and now you shall have a shirt to put on, which will 
improve your appearance a great deal.” 

She then went into the inner room, which I presumed 
was her bedroom, as there were but two rooms in the 
cabin. As she went out, I could not help wondering at 
her. On examination, I felt assured that she was more 
than six feet high, and her shoulders as broad and her 
arms as nervous as a man’s of that stature. Her chest 
was very expanded, but bosom she had none. In fact, 
she was a man in woman’s clothing, and I began to 
doubt her sex. Her features were not bad, had they 
been of smaller dimensions, but her nose was too large, 
although it was straight ; her eyes were grand, but they 
were surmounted with such coarse eyebrows ; her mouth 
was well shaped, and her teeth were good and regular, 
but it was the mouth of an ogress ; her walk was com- 
manding and firm ; every action denoted energy and 
muscle ; and certainly, from the conversation I have 
already made known, her mind was quite as masculine as 
her body — she was a splendid monster. In a minute she 
returned, bringing me a good check shirt and a pair of 
duck trowsers, which I thankfully accepted. 

“ I’ve plenty more for those who please me,” said she, 
carelessly ; “ when you’ve put them on, come out to me, 
and I’ll show you the plantation.” 

In a minute or two I joined her, and she led me 
round the tobacco-fields, then to the maize or Indian 


246 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 


corn grounds, pointing out and explaining every thing. 
She also showed me the cows, store pigs, and poultry. 
Wishing to please her, I asked many questions, and 
pretended to take an interest in all I saw. This 
pleased her much, and once or twice she smiled — but 
such a smile ! After an hour’s ramble we returned, 
and found the two servants very busy, one husking 
maize, and the other in the shed where the tobacco 
was dried. I asked some questions of her about the 
tobacco — how many casks or bales she made a year ? 
She replied that she made it in bales, and sold it by 
weight. 

“ It must be heavy carriage from here to Jamestown ? ” 
said I. 

“ Yes, indeed, if it went that way it never would arrive, 
I imagine,” replied she ; “ but I have a sloop in the 
river below, which carries it round.” 

“ When is the time it is harvested and fit to be carried 
round ? ” inquired I. 

“ It is now turning fast,” said she ; “ all that you see 
hanging in the drying sheds has been already drawn ; 
in three or four weeks it will be housed, and then we 
begin to pack : in about two months from this the sloop 
will take it round.” 

“ But is it not expensive keeping a sloop on purpose, 
with men to have her in charge ? ” inquired I, to hear 
what she would say. 

“ The sloop lies at anchor, without a soul on board,” 
said she. “No one ever comes up this river. I 
believe Captain Smith, who made the settlement, did 
so once. There is another river, about twenty miles 
further down, which is occasionally frequented by 
buccaneers, I am told — indeed, I know it, for my 
husband had more to do with them than perhaps 
was good for his soul, but this little river is never 
visited.” 

“ Then your servants take her round ? ” 

“ Yes ; I leave one in charge, and take two with me.” 

“ But you have but two.” 

“ Not till you came — one died ; but now I have three,” 
and she smiled at me again. 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 


247 


If I had not been so afraid of affronting her, I cer- 
tainly would have said to her, “ Do any thing, I beg, but 
smile.” 

I said no more on that point. She called Jeykell, who 
was in the tobacco-shed, and desired him to kill a couple 
of chickens, and bring them in. We then entered the 
cabin, and she observed — 

“ I don’t doubt but you are tired with so much fatigue ; 
you look so ; go and sleep on one of their beds ; you 
shall have one for yourself by night.” 

I was not sorry to do as she proposed, for I was tired 
out. I lay down, and I did not wake till she called me 
and told me that dinner was ready. I was quite ready 
for that also, and I sat down with her, but the two con- 
vict servants did not. She ate in proportion to her size, 
and that is saying enough. After dinner she left me, 
and went with her two men on her farming avocations, 
and I was for a long while cogitating on what had passed. 
I perceived that I was completely in her power, and that 
it was only by obtaining her good-will that I had any 
chance of getting away, and I made up my mind to act 
accordingly. I found a comfortable bed, of the husks 
of Indian corn, prepared for me at night, in an ante- 
room where the two servant-men slept. It was a luxury 
that I had not enjoyed for a long while. For several 
days I remained very quiet, and apparently very con- 
tented. My mistress gave me no hard work, chiefly 
sending me on messages or taking me out with her. 
She made the distinction between me and the convicts 
that I always took my meals with her and they did not. 
In short, I was treated as a friend and visitor more than 
any thing else, and had I not been so anxious about 
going to England, I certainly had no reason to complain 
except of my detention, and this, it was evident, it was 
not in her power to prevent, as, until the sloop went 
away with the tobacco, she had no means of sending me 
away. One day, however, as I was walking past the 
tobacco-shed, I heard my name mentioned by the two 
convicts, and stopping I heard James say, 

“ Depend upon it, that’s what she’s after, Jeykell ; 
and he is to be our master, whether he likes it or not.” 


248 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 


“ Well, I shouldn’t wonder,” replied the other ; “ she 
does make pure love to him, that’s certain.” 

“ Very true ; every thing’s fierce with her — even love 
— and so he’ll find it if he don’t fancy her.” 

“ Yes, indeed : — well, I’d rather serve another ten 
years than she should fall in love with me.” 

“ And if I had my choice, whether to be her husband 
or to swing, I should take the cord in preference.” 

“ Well, I pity him from my heart ; for he is a good 
youth and a fair-spoken and a handsome, too ; and I’m 
sure that he has no idea of his unfortunate situation.” 

“ No idea, indeed,” said I to myself, as I walked 
away. “ Merciful Heaven ! is it possible ! ” And when 
I thought over her conduct, and what had passed between 
us, I perceived not only that the convicts were right in 
their supposition, but that I had, by wishing to make 
myself agreeable to her, even assisted in bringing affairs 
to this crisis. 

That very day she had said to me : “I was very 
young when I married, only fourteen, and I lived with 
my husband nine years. He is dead more than a year 
now.” 

When she said that, which she did at dinner, while 
she was clawing the flesh off a wild turkey, there was 
something so ridiculous in that feminine confession, 
coming from such a masculine mouth, that I felt very 
much inclined to laugh, but I replied, 

“ You are a young widow, and ought to think of 
another husband.” 

Again, when she said, “ If ever I marry again, it shall 
not be a man who has been burned on the hand. No, no, 
my husband shall be able to open both hands and show 
them.” 

I replied, “You are right there. I would never dis- 
grace myself by marrying a convict.” 

When I thought of these and many other conversa- 
tions which had passed between us, I had no doubt, in 
my own mind, but that the convicts were correct in 
their suppositions, and I was disgusted at my own 
blindness. 

“ At all events,” said I to myself, after a long cogita- 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 


249 


tion, “ if she wants to marry me, she must go to James- 
town for a parson, and if I once get there, I will con- 
trive, as soon as extra constables are sworn in, to break 
off the match/’’ But, seriously, I was in an awkward 
plight. There was something in that woman that was 
awful, and I could imagine her revenge to be most 
deadly. I thought the old Indian squaw to be bad 
enough, but this new mistress was a thousand times 
worse. What a hard fate, I thought, was mine, that I 
should be forced to marry against my will, and be sep- 
arated from her whom I adored. I was a long while 
turning over the matter in my mind, and at last I resolved 
that I would make no alteration in my behavior, but 
behave to her as before, and that if the affair was pre- 
cipitated by my mistress, that I would be off to the 
woods, and take my chance of wild beasts and wild 
Indians, rather than consent to her wishes. I then went 
into the cabin, where I found her alone. 

“ Alexander,” said she (she would know my Christian 
name, and called me by it), “ they say widows court the 
men, and that they are privileged to do so ” (I turned 
pale, for I little thought that there was to be an explan- 
ation so soon) ; “ at all events, whether they are or not, I 
know that a woman in my position can not well expect 
a young man in yours to venture without encouragement. 
Now, Alexander, I have long perceived your feelings 
and your wishes, and I have only to say that mine are 
such as yours ” (oh, I wish they were, thought I), “ and 
therefore you have but to ask and to have.” 

I was mute with fear and despair, and could not find 
a reply to make to her. 

“ Why do you not answer, Alexander ? Do you think 
me too forward ? ” 

“ No,” stammered I ; “you are very kind, but this is 
so unexpected — so unlooked for — so unhoped for — I am 
so overcome.” 

Observe, Madam, how strangely the sexes were 
changed. I was the woman in this instance. 

“ I should like to consult my friends.” 

“Consult your fiddlesticks,” replied she, quickly. 
“ Who have you got to consult ? I hope, Alexander,” 


250 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 


said she, setting her broad teeth together, “ that you are 
not trifling with me ? ” 

“ Indeed, I never should think of trifling with you, 
mistress,” replied I. “ I feel much obliged to you for 
showing such a preference for me.” 

“ I think, Alexander, that you ought ; so now then, if 
you please, give me your answer,” replied she. 

“ Had I been prepared for your kindness, I would 
have done so at once, but I have many serious questions 
to put to myself, and, if you please, we will renew the 
subject to-morrow morning. I will then tell you can- 
didly how I am situated ; and if after that you do not 
withdraw your proposal, I shall be most happy to be 
yours as soon as we can go to Jamestown to be 
married.” 

“ If,” replied she, “ you mean to insinuate, Alexander, 
that you have a wife in England, that is of no conse- 
quence in this settlement ; for those who live here are 
free from all English marriages ; and as for going to 
Jamestown, that is quite unnecessary. If the people 
in the settlement were to wait for a parson when they 
married, they would never be married at all. All that is 
necessary is, that we shall draw up an agreement of mar- 
riage on paper, sign it, and have it witnessed. However, 
as I perceive that you are flurried, I will wait till to-mor- 
row morning for your decision.” 

My mistress then rose from her stool, and went into 
her chamber, shutting to the door with more emphasis 
than was at all agreeable to my nerves. I walked out 
into the open air to recover myself, and to reflect upon 
what course I should take in this awkward and dangerous 
dilemma. Marrying was out of the question — but how 
to avoid it? It was almost like being stopped by a 
highwayman. He says, “ Your money or your life.” 
My mistress’s demand was, “ Marriage or your life.” 
There was but one hope, which was to escape that very 
night, and take my chance in the woods, and so I resolved 
to do. 

I did not go in till dark ; my mistress was in her own 
room, the two convicts were sitting by the fire. I took 
my seat by them, but did not speak, except in a whisper, 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 


251 


telling them that their mistress was not well, and that we 
had better go to bed, and not talk. They stared at me at 
the idea of the mistress being ill ; they had never known 
her to complain of any thing since they resided with her ; 
but the hint was sufficient. They went to bed, and so 
did I with my clothes on, watching the crevices of the 
door of her room to see if her lamp was out. In about 
half an hour the little thin beams through the chinks of 
her door disappeared, and then I knew that she had gone 
to bed. I watched two hours more before I ventured to 
stir. The convicts were both snoring loud and effectu- 
ally drowned any slight noise I might make in moving 
about. I went to the locker, secured all the cold meat 
for provision, took down one of the muskets and ammuni- 
tion-belts, and, having put the latter over my shoulders, 
I then took the musket in my hand and crept softly to 
the door of the cabin. Here was the only difficulty ; 
once out, but five yards off, and I was clear. I removed 
the heavy wooden bar, without noise, and had now only 
to draw the bolt. I put my finger to it, and was sliding 
it gently and successfully back, when my throat was 
seized, and I was hurled back on the floor of the cabin. 
I was so stunned by the violence of the fall, that for a 
short time I was insensible. When I recovered, I felt a 
great weight upon my chest, and opening my eyes found 
my mistress sitting upon me, and giving orders to the 
convicts, one of whom had already lighted the lamp. 

“ For mercy’s sake, get off my chest,” said I, in a faint 
voice. 

“ Yes, I will, but not yet,” replied my mistress. “ Now, 
James, hand them to me.” 

James handed some chains to his mistress, who, turn- 
ing round as she sat on my body, made the manacle at 
the end of the chain fast round my ankle. This went 
with a snap-spring, which could not be opened without a 
key belonging to it. At last she rose off my body, and I 
could breathe free. She then called to the convicts, 
saying, 

“ Go both of you into the tobacco-shed, and wait there 
till I call you out. If I find you one foot nearer to us, 
I’ll flay you alive.” 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 


252 

The servants ran off as fast as they could. When they 
were gone, my mistress said, 

“ So you were about to escape, were you ? You would 
avoid the chances of matrimony, and now you have other 
chances which you little dreamed of.” 

“ I thought it was the wisest thing that I could do,” 
replied I. “ Since I must be plain, I am sacredly be- 
trothed to another person, and I could not even for you 
break my faith. I meant to have told you so to-morrow 
morning, but I was afraid it would annoy you, and there- 
fore I wished to go away without giving you any answer.” 

“Well, sir, I offered to be your wife, which would have 
made you my lord and master. You refuse it, and now 
I make you my slave. I give you your option ; you 
shall either consent to be my husband, or you shall 
remain as you are, and toil hard ; but any time that you 
think better of it, and are willing to embrace my offer, you 
will be free, and I will be as a wife in subjection.” 

“ So you say,” replied I ; “ but suppose I was to make 
you angry after I married you, you would do to me as 
you have done now. I may, perhaps, one day get free 
from this chain, but, once married to you, I am a slave 
forever.” 

“You may think otherwise before long,” replied she ; 
“ in the mean time, you may walk out and cool yourself.” 

She then turned to her room, and I rose, having deter- 
mined to walk out and cool myself, as she proposed ; but 
when I was on my legs, I found that to the other end of 
the chain, which was very heavy and about two yards long, 
was riveted an iron ball of about thirty pounds’ weight, so 
that I could not walk without carrying this heavy weight 
in my hands, for it could not be dragged. I lifted up 
the iron ball, and went out of the house. I was no longer 
afraid of her. I was in too great a rage to fear any 
thing. As I calmed, I considered my case, and found it 
to be hopeless ; as I thought of Amy, and the many 
months of hope deferred, I wept bitterly ; and I had no 
consolation, for the reader may recollect that I lost my 
Bible when I was sent on shore, naked almost, by the 
rascally captain of the Transcendant. 

I had now been twenty months away from Liverpool, 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 


253 


and 1 felt as if my chance of seeing her that I loved was 
indeed hopeless. I might remain chained in such a 
solitude for years, or I might expire under her barbarous 
treatment, for I fully knew what I had to expect. How- 
ever, I was resolved. I prayed fervently for support and 
succor in my time of trouble, and became more com- 
posed. I remained out the whole of the night, and 
watched the rising sun. The two convicts came out to 
their work, and shrugged their shoulders as they passed 
me, but they dared not speak to me. 

My mistress at last came out. She commenced with 
abuse, but I gave no answer. She tried soothing, but I 
was mute. At last she became frantic in her passion, 
hurled me away from her, and after being dreadfully 
beaten I fell to the ground. She put her foot upon my 
neck, and she stood there, looking like a. fury. She 
loaded me with epithets, and then of a sudden went 
down on her knees by me, and begged my pardon, call- 
ing me her dear Alexander — her life — entreating me to 
accede to her wishes. Never was there such a tigress in 
love before, I really believe. 

“ Hear me,” replied I ; “as long as I am chained, I 
never will give any answer upon the present subject, 
that I swear.” 

She rose from my side and walked away. 

It is impossible, my dear Madam, for me to describe 
what I suffered from this woman for more than six weeks, 
during which she kept me chained in this way — at one 
time entreating me, the next moment kicking me and 
throwing me down. I had no peace — my life became a 
burden to me, and I often entreated her, in mercy, to 
put an end to my sufferings. I also had my paroxysms 
of rage, and then would spurn her, spit at her, and do 
every thing I could, and say all that I could imagine, to 
show my hatred and contempt. At other times I was 
sullen, and that always annoyed her. She would bear 
my reproaches patiently — bear any thing, so long as I 
would talk ; but if I remained obstinately silent, then, in 
a short time, her fury would break forth. I pitied her, 
notwithstanding her ill-treatment, for the woman did 
love me (after her own fashion) most intensely. 


254 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 


It was on the seventh week of my confinement on the 
chain, that one morning very early, as I was lying in the 
tobacco-shed, for she had turned me out of the cabin, I 
perceived among the trees, which were about three 
hundred yards from the cabin, two Indians, in what is 
called their war-paint, which is a sign that they were on 
a hostile excursion. I remained perfectly quiet, and 
well concealed, that I might watch them. The convicts 
had more than once told me that the Indians would 
attack us, in consequence of an insult which my mistress 
had offered to their chief, with whom her husband had 
been so friendly ; and when they stated what had passed, 
I agreed with them that they would not fail to resent the 
insult as soon as they could. I had therefore always 
been on the look-out, but had never seen any Indians 
before. My mistress, to whom I had, in our days of 
sweet converse, spoken about them, always laughed at 
the idea of their attacking her, and said they might come 
if they liked. She had made every preparation for 
them, as she had loop-holes stuffed up with moss just 
below the roof of the cabin, from which you could fire 
down upon them till they were within four yards of the 
cabin, and other loop-holes, from which you might shoot 
them when close to ; the window and door were impreg- 
nable, and, provided that we were once in the cabin, 
there was no doubt but that a serious, if not effectual, 
resistance might be made. That the Indians were 
reconnoitering the cabin was evident, and that they did 
not do so for nothing was equally certain. After a 
while, during which I made out six of them, they fell 
back in the wood, and disappeared. The dog at that 
moment came out to me, and it was probably the sight 
of the dog which made them retreat, as they feared that 
he would have given notice of their being so close to us. 
I waited till the convicts came out, and then I went into 
the cabin and said : 

“ You drove me out of the house last night, and I 
come to return good for evil. As I lay in the tobacco- 
shed, I saw six Indians in the wood, to the east of the 
cabin, reconnoitering, and I have no doubt but that you 
will be attacked this night, so I give you notice.” 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 


255 


“ And you hope that, by this fear of their attack, you 
will be set free, is it not ? ” 

“ It is perfectly indifferent to me whether I am or not. 

I have often asked you to put an end to my misery, and 
as you have not done it, I shall bless those Indians for the 
friendly act ; a blow from a tomahawk will release me, if 
you will not." 

“Well, then, let them come with their tomahawks," 
replied she, “ and I will protect you from them, for no 
one shall release you but myself." 

“ As you please," replied I ; “ I have done my duty in 
telling you what I have seen, and you may take precau- 
tions or not ; for myself I care nothing." 

So saying, I lifted up my ball of iron and went away 
out of the door. I remained out of doors the whole of 
the day, and therefore did not know whether my mis- 
tress took any precautions or not, but I told the two con- 
victs what I had seen, and advised them not to go far 
from the cabin, as they would run great danger. 

They inquired of me where I had seen the Indians, 
and I pointed out the spot in the wood, after which they 
went away. I was certain that the attack would be on 
this night, as there was no moon till three hours before 
daybreak ; and as it was very dark it would probably 
take place in the early part of the night. I had made 
up my mind what I would do, which was not in any way 
to defend the cabin while chained, but, when I was 
freed, I would fight to the last, so that I might be 
killed where I stood, and not be taken alive and tor- 
tured. 

I did not go out from home all that day, and, to my 
surprise, I was not molested by my mistress. At dark 
she called the convicts, but they did not answer ; she 
came out to look for them, and asked me whether I had 
seen them. 

I told her that I had not seen them for two hours, 
and I had thought they were in the house. 

“ Did you tell them about the Indians ? " 

“ Yes, I did," I replied, “ and stated my opinion that 
they would attack us this night, and I advised them not 
to go far from the cabin, or they might be cut off." 


256 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 


“ Then the cowardly sneaks have run off to the woods, 
and left us to defend ourselves how we can.” 

“ I shall not defend myself,” replied I. “ I shall stay 
here where I am. I wait for death, and will not 
avoid it.” 

“ Come into the house,” said she abruptly. 

“ No,” replied I, “ I will not.” 

“ You will not ! ” said she, and, catching up the chain 
and ball in one hand, with her other arm she caught me 
round the waist, and carried me into the house. 

“ Well,” replied I, “it is only deferring it a little 
longer ; they will force their way in at last, and I will die 
here.” 

“ Wait until they arrive,” replied my mistress. “ But 
do you mean to say you will not defend the house ? ” 

“ Certainly not, as long as I am chained as a slave,” 
replied I. 

My mistress made no reply, but busied herself with 
barring the door and window. She then placed the table 
and stools so that she might stand upon them and fire out 
of the upper loop-holes ; pulled the moss out of the loop- 
holes ; took down the muskets — of which there were six 
— from their rests ; examined the priming of those which 
were loaded, and loaded those which were not. She then 
got out a supply of powder and ball, which she put ready 
on the table, brought the axes out, that they might be at 
hand, examined the water-jars to ascertain whether the 
convicts had filled them as she had ordered, and then, 
when all was prepared for defense, she removed the 
lamp into the inner room, leaving the one we were in 
so dark, that the Indians could not, by looking through 
the chinks or loop-holes, discover where the occupants of 
the cabin might be. All these arrangements she made 
with the greatest coolness, and I could not help admiring 
her courage and self-possession. 

“ Is there any more to be done, Alexander ? ” said she, 
in a mild voice. 

“ Where is the dog ? ” replied I. 

“ Tied up in the tobacco-shed,” said she. 

“ Then there is no more to be done,” replied I ; “ the 
dog will give you notice of their coming, as they will first 
occupy the tobacco-shed as an advanced post.” 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 


257 


“ Alexander, will you promise not to escape if I set 
you free ? ” 

“ Certainly not,” replied I. “ You set me free for 
your own purposes, because you wish me to help to defend 
your property ; and then, forsooth, when the Indians are 
beat off, you will chain me again.” 

“ No, no ; that was not my feeling, as I sit here alive,” 
replied she ; “ but I was thinking that, if forced to 
retreat from the cabin, you would never be able to 
escape, and I never could save you ; but they should 
hack me to pieces first.” 

“ Answer me one question,” said I. “ In a time of 
peril like this, would you, as a conscientious person, 
think that you were justified in retaining in such fetters 
even a convict who had robbed you ? And if you feel 
that you would not, on what grounds do you act in this 
way to a man whom you profess to love ? — I leave it to 
your conscience.” 

She remained silent for some time : when the dog 
barked, and she started up. 

“ I believe I am mad, or a fool,” said she, sweeping 
back her hair from her forehead. 

She then took the key of the manacle out of her dress, 
and released me. 

“Alexander ” — 

“ Silence ! ” said I, putting my hand to her mouth, 
“ this is no time to be heard speaking. Silence ! ” 
repeated I in a whisper, “ I hear them, they are round 
the house.” 

I stood upon one of the stools and looked through a 
loop-hole. It was very dark, but as the Indians stood on 
the hill, there was clear sky behind them as low down as 
their waists, and I could perceive their motions, as they 
appeared to be receiving orders from their chief ; and 
they advanced to the door of the cabin with axes and 
tomahawks. My mistress had mounted on the table at 
the same time that I got on the stool. We now got down 
again without speaking, and, each taking a musket, we 
kneeled down at the lower loop-holes which I have 
described. On second thought I mounted the stool, 
whispering to her, “ Don’t fire till I do.” 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 


258 

The Indians came to the door and tapped, one asking 
in English to be let in. No reply was given, and they 
commenced their attack upon the door with their axes. 
As soon as this aggression took place, I took good aim 
at their chief, as I presumed him to be, who was now 
standing alone on the hill. I fired. He fell immediately. 

As I leaped from the stool my mistress discharged her 
musket, and we both caught up others and returned to 
the loop-holes below. By this time the blows of the axes 
were incessant, and made the cabin door tremble, and 
the dust to fly down in showers from the roof ; but the 
door was of double oak with iron braces, and not easily 
cut through ; and the bars which held it were of great 
size and strength. 

It was some time before we could get another shot at 
an Indian, but at last I succeeded, and as his comrades 
were taking the body away my mistress shot another. 
After this the blows of the axes ceased, and they evi- 
dently had retreated. I then went into the inner room 
and extinguished the lamp, that they might not be able 
to see us — for the lamp gave a faint light. We returned 
to the table, and loaded the muskets in the dark. 

As I put my musket on the table, my mistress said, 
“ Will they come again ? ” 

“ Yes,” replied I, “ I think they will ; but if you wish 
to talk, we had better retreat to the fire-place ; there we 
shall be safe from any shot.” 

We retreated to the fire-place, and sat down on the 
ashes ; it just held us both, and my mistress took this 
opportunity of embracing me, saying — 

“ Dear Alexander, if I had a thousand lives, I would 
sacrifice them for you.” 

“ We have but one,” replied I, “ and that one I will 
devote for your defense ; I can do no more.” 

“ Who did you fire at ? ” said she. 

“ The chief, as I believe, who was on the hill giving 
orders. He fell ; and I think that he fell dead.” 

“ Then depend upon it they will retreat,” said she. 

“ I think not ; they will be revenged, if they possibly 
can ; and we must expect a hard fight for it.” 

“ Why, what can they do ? They never can break 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 


2 59 


through the door, and when daylight comes we can shoot 
them by dozens.” 

“ Depend upon it,” said I, “ they will try to burn us 
out. The wind is high, which is all in their favor, and I 
suspect they have now gone to collect fire-wood.” 

“ And if they do fire the cabin, what shall we do ? I 
never thought of that.” 

“We must remain in it as long as we can, and then 
sally out and fight to the last ; but every thing depends 
on circumstances. Be guided by me, and I will save you 
if I can.” 

“ Be guided by you ! ” 

“Yes ! Recollect I am not in chains now, and that 
although you have the courage of a man, still you have 
not been so accustomed to warfare as I have been. I 
have long been accustomed to command, to plan, and to 
execute, in times of peril like this.” 

“You have great strength and courage; I little 
thought what a lion I had chained up,” replied she. 
“ Well, I love you all the better for it, and I will be 
guided by you, for I perceive already that you have the 
best head of the two. Hark ! What is that ? ” 

“ It is what I said,” replied I ; “ they are laying 
fire-wood against the logs of the cabin on the windward 
side — (this was on the side opposite to the door). Now 
we must try if we can not pick off some more of them,” 
said I, rising and taking a musket. “ Bring the stools 
over to this side, for we must fire from the upper loop- 
holes.” 

We remained at our posts for some time without see- 
ing an Indian. They had gone back to the wood for 
more combustibles. At last we perceived them coming 
back with the wood. I should imagine there were at 
least twenty of them. 

“ Now, take good aim,” said I. 

We both fired almost at the same moment, and three 
Indians fell. 

“ Get down, and give me another musket,” said I to 
my mistress. 

She handed me one, and, taking another for herself, 
resumed her station. We fired several times ; some- 


26 o 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 


times with and sometimes without success ; for the 
Indians went away twice for fire-wood before they had 
collected what they considered sufficient. By this time 
it was piled up to the eaves of the cabin, and our loop- 
holes were shut up ; we therefore went over to the other 
side, where the door was, to see if there were any Indians 
there, but could not see one. We had been on the look- 
out for about five minutes, when the crackling of the 
wood, and the smoke forcing itself through the crevices 
between the logs, told us that the fire had been applied, 
and the wind soon fanned it up so that the flame poured 
through every chink and loop-hole, and lighted up the 
cabin. 

“ We must retreat to the fire-place,” said I. “ Come 
quickly, or we shall be shot.” 

“ Why so ? ” said she, as she did as I requested. 

“ They will peep through the loop-holes on the side 
of the cabin where the door is and see us plainly, until 
the cabin is filled with smoke, which it soon will be.” 

“ But tell me what we are to do now, for I feel if this 
smoke increases we shall not be able to speak to one 
another.” 

This she said about five minutes after we had remained 
standing in the fire-place, with our heads up the chimney. 

“ Perhaps it will be as well,” replied I, “ that I do speak 
so. This fierce wind drives the smoke to leeward in vol- 
umes, but the great burst of smoke will be when the 
roof is well on fire. It is now burning fiercely on the 
windward side, but we must wait till the lee-side has 
caught, and then the volume of smoke will be greater. 
The great point is to hit the precise time of opening the 
door, and escaping shrouded in a volume of smoke. If 
too soon, they will perceive us, and we shall be shot 
down ; if too late, the roof will fall upon us, and we 
shall be smothered or burned. We had better now, I 
think, leave this, and be all ready. Our best weapon, if 
we had to fight our way, will be an axe. Let us each 
take one ; and, by now going near to the door, and put- 
ting our mouths to one of the loop-holes, we shall breathe 
freer, and unbar the door at the right time. Do you 
agree with me?” 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 


261 


“ You are right,” said she ; “ you are a man, and I am 
a woman.” 

We left the fire-place, and, having felt for and found the 
axes, we went near the door, and put our mouths to the 
loop-holes below ; and the smoke passing above them 
enabled us to breathe freer. I looked out and perceived 
that, with the exception of about six yards to leeward of 
the cabin, there was a dense volume of smoke rolling 
along the ground for a long distance, and that if we 
could only once gain it without being perceived, we 
should probably be saved. I therefore unbarred the 
door, drew the bolt, and held it in my hand, all ready for 
a start. The cabin was now in flames in every part as 
well as the roof. I touched my mistress, and then took 
her hand in mine, watching at the loop-hole. At last, 
when the heat was almost unbearable, an eddy of the 
wind drove back the smoke close to the lee-side of the 
cabin, and all was dark. I jumped up, opened the door, 
and dragged my mistress after me ; we walked out into 
the black mass completely hid from our enemies, and 
then running hand-in-hand as fast as we could to leeward 
in the center of the smoke, we found ourselves at least 
one hundred yards from the cabin without the Indians 
having any idea that we were not still inside. As we re- 
treated, the density of the smoke became less, and I then 
told her to run for her life, as the Indians would discover 
that the door of the cabin was open and that we had 
escaped — and so it proved. We were still a hundred 
yards from the wood when a yell was given which proved 
that they had discovered our escape and were in pursuit. 
We gained the wood ; I turned round a moment to look 
behind me, and perceived at least forty or fifty Indians 
in full pursuit of us — the foremost about two hundred 
yards distant. 

u Now we must run for it, mistress,” said I, “ and we 
must no longer take hands. We shall have to thread 
the wood. Away ! We have no time to lose.” 

So saying, I snatched my hand from her and sprang 
forward ; she following me as fast ds she could, more 
fearful, evidently, of my making my escape from her 
than of her own escape from the Indians. As soon as I 


262 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 


was a hundred yards in the wood, I turned short to the 
right, and fled with all my speed in that direction, be- 
cause I hoped by this means to deceive the Indians, and 
it was easier to run where the wood was not so thick. 
My mistress followed me close ; she would have hal- 
looed to me, but she had not breath after the first half- 
mile. I found out that I was more fleet than she was. 
Whether encumbered with her clothes, or perhaps not 
so much used to exercise, I heard her panting after me. 
I could easily have left her, but my fear was that she 
woul<J have called to me, and if she had, the Indians 
would have heard her, and have known the direction I 
had taken, and, when once on my trail, they would, as 
soon as daylight came, have followed me by it to any dis- 
tance ; I therefore slackened my speed so as just to 
enable my mistress to keep up with me at about ten 
yards’ distance ; when we had run about three miles I felt 
certain that she could not proceed much further : speak 
she could not, and as I ran without once looking behind 
me, she could make no sign. I continued at a less rapid 
pace for about a mile further. I did this to enable her 
to keep up with me, and to recover my own breath as 
much as possible previous to a start. The voices of the 
Indians had long been out of hearing, and it was clear 
that they had not discovered the direction which we had 
taken. I knew, therefore, that they could not hear her 
now if she did cry out as loud as she could, and I 
gradually increased my speed, till I could no longer hear 
her panting behind me ; I then went off at my full speed, 
and after a few minutes I heard her voice at some dis- 
tance faintly calling out my name. “ Yes,” thought I, 
“ but I have not forgotten the ball and chain ; and if you 
thought that you had let loose a lion while we were in 
the cabin, you shall find that you have loosed a deer in 
the woods.” I then stopped for a few moments to, recover 
my breath ; I did not, however, wait long ; I was afraid 
that my mistress might recover her breath as well as 
myself, and I again set off as fast as I could. The idea 
of torture from the' Indians, or again being kept confined 
by my mistress, gave me an endurance which I thought 
myself incapable of. Before morning I calculated that I 
had run at least twenty miles, if not more. 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 


263 


With the perspiration running down me in streams, 
and hardly able to drag one leg before the other, I at 
last, just about daybreak, gave it up, when I threw 
myself on the ground, and dropped out of my hand my 
ax, which I had carried the whole way. I lay there for 
more than half an hour, tormented with thirst, but quite 
unable to move. At last I recovered ; and, as I well 
knew that the Indians would divide in parties of three or 
four, and hunt every part of the woods, and by daylight 
probably discover my track, I rose and prepared to 
resume my toil, when, looking round me, I perceived 
that I was exactly on the spot where I had followed- the 
deer, and had fallen in with the Jolly Rover, as he 
termed himself, who had pointed out the way to the 
plantations. I turned and saw the river below, and as 
he had told me that the Indians never came there, I 
resolved to go to the river, where, at least, I should find 
shell-fish and water. I did so ; and in half an hour 
arrived at the skirts of the wood, and found that the 
river was about four hundred yards from me and clear 
of trees at the mouth for some distance. I went down 
to the river, which ran swiftly out, and I drank till I was 
ready to burst. I then rose on my feet, and walked along 
its banks toward the mouth, thinking what I should do. 
To get to Jamestown appeared to me to be an impos- 
sibility, unless by water, and I was not likely to meet 
with any other vessel here but a pirate. Should I, then, 
go aboard of a pirate ? It appeared to me to be my 
only resource, and that I should be happy if I could find 
one. 

By this time I had arrived at the mouth of the river, 
and, looking out to seaward, I saw a schooner at anchor. 
She was about three miles off. That she was a pirate 
vessel, I presumed. Should I go on board of her or not ? 
and if so, how was I to get on board ? All her boats 
were up ; and I surmised that she had just left the river 
with the intention of sailing as soon as there was any 
wind, for now it was calm. The river ran out swiftly, 
and I thought I should be able to swim the distance with 
the assistance I should obtain from the current, which 
swept down right for her, and she was riding to its 
strength. 


264 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 


I was demurring. I had been perhaps two hours on 
the beach, waiting to see if she might send a boat on 
shore, when, as I stood at the river-side, still hesitating, 
I happened to turn round and perceived three Indians 
coming down upon me as fast as they could. I hesi- 
tated no longer, but plunged into the stream, and was 
swept out two hundred yards before they arrived at the 
beach. I made for the schooner ; and the current ran 
out so fast, that in half an hour I was close to her. I 
swam for her cable, which I clung to, and then shouted 
loudly. This induced some of the crew to look over the 
bows, and they handed me a bowling knot, into which I 
fixed myself and was hauled on board. 

I was dragged aft to give an account of myself, and 
I stated in few words that I had been pursued by the 
Indians, and swam off to save my life. 

“ Haven’t we met before ? ” said a rough voice. 

I looked, and saw the Jolly Rover whom I had fallen 
in with on the shore. I said, “ Yes ; I was escaping from 
the Indians when I met you, and you showed me the 
direction of the plantations.” 

“ All’s right,” said he. “ It’s a true bill ; and were 
those Indians after you that we saw on the beach just 
now ? ” 

“ Yes,” I replied ; and then I stated how it was that 
they had attacked our cabin, and how we had escaped. 

“ That was well done, and so you swam off three miles. 
Fire and water won’t hurt you ; that’s clear. You’re just 
the man for us. What thing-um-bob is this that you 
have hung round your neck ? ” said he, taking up the 
leathern bag with the diamond in it. 

“ That,” replied I — a sudden thought having struck me 
— “ is my caul ; I was born with a caul, and I have always 
worn it, as it saves a man from drowning.” 

“No wonder that you swam three miles, then,” replied 
the man. 

You must know, Madam, that some people are born 
with a membrane over the face, which is termed a caul, 
and there has been a vulgar error that such people can 
never be drowned, especially if they wear this caul about 
their person in after-life. Sailors are superstitious in 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 


265 


many things, but particularly in this, and my caul was 
therefore as much respected by them as it hung round 
my neck, as it was by the Indians when they thought it 
was what they call “ magic” or “ medicine.” 

“Well,” said the Jolly Rover, “ as you had so much 
fire, so much water, and so much running, I think you 
won’t be sorry to have a biscuit and a glass of grog, and 
then turn in ; to-morrow we will talk to you.” 

I went down below, very glad to accept the offer, and 
as I was regaling myself, who should come up to me but 
two of the Portuguese who had been wrecked in the 
xebeque, and put on shore with me in the little boat by 
the captain of the Transcendant. I was very glad to see 
them. They told me that, after great hardship and suf- 
fering, they had arrived famished at the banks of this 
river, and had been taken on board by these pirates, and 
had remained with them ever since ; that they were very 
anxious to get away, but never had an opportunity. I 
begged them not to say who I was, but merely that I was 
once a shipmate of theirs. They promised, and being 
very tired, I then lay down and fell asleep. I was so 
worn out, that I did not wake until the next morning, 
when I found that we were under all sail running down 
to the southward. I saw the Jolly Rover, as I had 
termed him, on deck (his real or assumed name, I don’t 
know which, I found out to be Toplift), sitting on a gun 
abaft. He called me to him. I said, 

“ Are you the captain ? ” 

“ Yes,” he replied, “ for want of a better. I told you 
months ago what we were, so it’s no use repeating it. Do 
you intend to join us ? ” 

’ “ Then,” replied I, “ I will be very candid with you. I 
have been driven, as it were, on board of your vessel, 
but certainly without knowing exactly what she was. 
Now, captain, I have to ask you one question : — Would 
you, if you could go on shore in England, with plenty of 
money at your command, and plenty of good friends, — 
would you be here ? ” 

“ No ; certainly not,” replied he. 

“ Well ; I am in that position. If once in England, I 
have money enough to live upon, and plenty of friends ', 


266 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 


I therefore naturally want to get back to England, 
and not to run the risk of my neck on board of this 
vessel.” 

“ That’s very true,” replied he, “ but there are other 
considerations ; my men won’t have a man on board who . 
will not swear fidelity, and if you will not, I can not pro- 
tect you, — they will throw you overboard. We don’t 
carry passengers.” 

“ That’s very true, also ; and I will swear fidelity so far 
as this, that you never shall be betrayed by me, and I 
never will appear as a witness against one of you ; it 
were most ungrateful if I did. While I am on board, I 
will do any duty you please to put me to, for I can not 
expect to eat my bread for nothing.” 

“ And suppose we come to action ? ” 

“ There’s the difficulty,” replied I ; “ against an 
English ship I never will fight.” 

“ But if we are opposed to any other nation, and there 
is a chance of our being overpowered ? ” 

“ Why, then, if you are overpowered, as I shall be hung 
along with the rest, I think I must do all I can to save 
my own life ; but, overpowered or not, I will not fire a 
shot or draw a cutlass against my own countrymen.” 

“ Well, I can not deny but that’s all very fair.” 

“ I think,” replied I, “ it is as much as you can ex- 
pect ; especially as I never will share any prize-money.” 

“ Well ; I will talk to the men, and hear what they say; 
but, now, answer me one question — Are you not a sea- 
man ? ” 

“ I will answer the truth to every thing ; I am a seaman ; 
and I have commanded a privateer. I have served many 
years in privateers, and have seen a great deal of hard 
fighting.” 

“ So I thought,” replied he ; “ and now answer me an- 
other question — Was it not you that played that trick to 
that French privateer captain at Bordeaux ? ” 

“ Yes, it was,” replied I ; “ but how came you to know 
that ? ” 

“ Because I was mate of a merchant vessel that had 
been captured, and I saw you three or four times as you 
passed the vessel I was on board of ; for, being put in 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 267 

quarantine, we were not sent to prison till the pratique 
was given. I thought that I knew you again.” 

“ Well ; I have no concealment to make.” 

“ No ; but I will tell you candidly, my men, if they 
knew all this, would not allow you to leave the vessel. 
Indeed, you might be captain if you pleased, for I do not 
suit them. Our captain — for I was his officer — was 
killed about six months ago ; and I really am not fit for 
the office — I am too tender-hearted.” 

“ Well ; you don’t look so,” replied I, laughing. 

“Can’t judge of outsides,” replied he; “but it’s a 
fact. They say that they will all be condemned if taken, 
from my not destroying the crews of the vessels we take ; 
that they will be so many witnesses against them ; and I 
can not make up my mind to cold-blooded murder. I am 
bad enough ; I rob on the high seas ; I kill on the high 
seas — for we must kill when we fight ; but I can not com- 
mit deliberate murder either at sea or on shore, and so I 
tell them. If any one else could navigate the vessel, I 
should be superseded immediately.” 

“ I am glad to hear you say what you have, captain; 
it makes me less dissatisfied at finding myself here. 
Well ; I have said all I can, and I must trust to you to 
manage with your ship’s company.” 

“ It will be a difficult job,” said he, musing. 

“ Tell them,” replied I, “ that I was once a captain of 
a vessel like this (after all, there is not so much difference 
between a pirate and a privateer as you may think) — and 
that I will not be under command of one.” 

“ If they hear that, they will give you the command of 
this vessel.” 

“ I will refuse to take it ; and give my reasons.” 

“ Well ; I’ll tell them that : I leave you to settle with 
them how you can ; but,” added he, in a low tone, 
“ there are some desperate villains among them.” 

“ That I take for granted,” replied I ; “so now I leave 
you to speak to them.” 

Toplift did so. He told them that I was a pirate cap- 
tain, who had lost his vessel and been thrown on shore, 
but I refused to join any ship except as captain of her ; 
that I would not serve as first officer, and would obey no 


268 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 


one. He told them that he knew me before, and he nar- 
rated the business at Bordeaux when I commanded a 
privateer, extolling me, as I afterward found, beyond all 
measure. 

The crew, having heard what he had to say, went for- 
ward, and, after consultation, came to Toplift and said 
that I must take the oath. 

Toplift replied that he had desired me to do so, and 
that I had answered that I would not. “ But,” said he, 
“ you had better speak to him yourselves'. Call all hands 
aft and hear what he has to say.” 

This was done, and I was sent for. 

“ I have told them what you said, sir. I don’t know 
your name.” 

“ I have no name,” replied I, proudly, “ except * Cap- 
tain,’ — that’s my name.” 

The fact is, Madam, I was determined to carry it out 
bravely ; knowing that it is the best way to deal with such 
people as I now had in hand. 

“ Well, then, Captain, I have told the men that you will 
not take the oath.” 

“ Take the oath ! ” replied I with scorn ; “ no ; I ad- 
minister the oath to others. I make them take it. I make 
them swear fidelity to me. Such has been my conduct, 
and I shall not depart from it.” 

“ Well, but, Captain Toplift, you don’t mean to say 
that he is to remain on board with us and not take the 
oath,” said a surly-looking ruffian. “ In spite of you, 
he shall take the oath, Captain Toplift.” 

“ Captain Toplift,” said I, calmly, “ do you allow one of 
your crew to use such language as this ? Had I been 
captain of this ship, I would have blown his brains out as 
he stood. You don’t know how to deal with these 
rascals. I do.” 

Captain Toplift, who appeared much pleased at being 
supported in this way by me — (strange that a single in- 
dividual, whom they might have thrown overboard in a 
minute, should have gained such an ascendency, but so it 
was) — and who perceived that the men fell back, as if 
taken by surprise, then said, “ Captain, you have taught 
me a good lesson, which I will take advantage of. Seize 
that fellow and put him in irons.” 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 


269 


“ Hah ! ” cried the man, seeing that no man touched 
him ; “ who is to bell the cat ! hah ! ” and drew his cut- 
lass. 

“ I will, then,” said I to Captain Toplift, “ if you de- 
sire it ; ” and stepping forward I went up to the man, say- 
ing, “ Come, come, my good fellow, this won’t do here ; I 
am used to deal with such chaps as you, and I can manage 
worse than you, a good deal.” 

I advanced till I was within the stroke of his cut- 
lass, before he was aware of it, and, seizing him by the 
waist, I threw him flat on his back and put my foot on 
his neck. 

“Now,” cried I, in an authoritative voice, “put 
this man in irons immediately — refuse who dares. Here, 
you, sirs, lay hold of this fellow,” continued I, look- 
ing to the Portuguese ; who accordingly came forward 
and led him away, assisted by others, who now joined 
them. 

“ Are there any more mutineers here ? ” inquired I ; “ if 
so let them step forward.” 

No one stirred. 

“ My lads,” said I, “ it is very true that I have refused 
to take the oath, for the oath is not given to those who 
command, but to those who obey ; but at the same time 
I am not one to betray you. You know who I am ; and 
is it likely ? ” 

“ No, no,” replied the men. 

“ Sir,” asked one of them, who had been most forward 
and insolent, “ will you be our captain ? — say but the 
word, — you are the sort of man we want.” 

“ You have a captain already,” replied I, “and in a few 
weeks I shall command a vessel of my own ; I can not, 
therefore, accept your offer ; but while I am on board I 
will do all in my power to assist Captain Toplift in any 
way, and you can desire no more. And now, my men, 
as an old hand, I have but this advice to give you, which 
is — to return to your duty ; for every thing in a vessel of 
this description depends upon obedience ; and to you, 
Captain Toplift, I have also advice to give, which is — to 
shoot the first man who behaves as that scoundrel did 
who is now in irons. Boatswain ! pipe down.” 


270 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 


I hardly knew whether this latter order would be obeyed 
by the boatswain, or, if obeyed by the boatswain, whether 
it would be obeyed by the men ; but, to my great satis- 
faction it was ; and the men retired peaceably. 

“Well, Captain Toplift,” said I, “ I have done you no 
harm, and myself some good.” 

“ You have indeed,” replied he ; “ come down into the 
cabin.” When we were in the cabin he said, “ You have 
unarmed and subdued the most mutinous rascal in the 
vessel, and you have strengthened my authority. They 
fully believe you are what you assert from your behavior, 
and I feel, with you at my side, I shall get on better with 
these fellows than I have done. But now, to keep up 
the idea, you must, of course, mess in the cabin with me, 
and I can offer you clothes, not my own, but those of 
the former captain, which will suit your shape and 
make.” 

I readily agreed with him ; and, having equipped my- 
self in the clothes he offered me, which were handsome, 
I soon afterward went on deck with him, and received 
the greatest respect from the men as I passed them. A 
cot was slung for me in the cabin, and I lived altogether 
with Captain Toplift, who was a good-hearted, rough 
sort of a man, certainly wholly unfit for the command of 
a vessel manned by such a set of miscreants, and em- 
ployed on such a service. He told me that he had been 
taken three years before by a pirate vessel, and finding 
that he could navigate, they had detained him by 
force, and that at last he had become accustomed to his 
position. 

“ We must all live,” said he, “ and I had no other 
means of livelihood left me ; but it’s sorely against my 
conscience, and that’s the truth. However, I am used to 
it now, and that reconciles you to any thing, except mur- 
der in cold blood, and that I never will consent to.” 

On my inquiring where they were about to cruise, he 
said, on the Spanish Main. 

“ But,” said I, “ it is peace with the Spaniards just 
now.” 

“I hardly knew,” said he, “it was peace. Not that 
peace makes any difference to us, for we take every thing ; 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN. " 


2?i 


but you refer to myself, I know, and I tell you frankly 
that I have preferred this cruise merely that we may not 
fall in with English vessels, which we are not likely to do 
there. I wish I was out of her with all my heart and 
soul.” 

“ No doubt of it, Captain Toplift, I think you are sin- 
cere. Suppose you put into one of the inlets of Jamaica, 
they won’t know where we are ; let us take a boat on 
shore and leave her. I will provide for you, and you 
shall gain your living in an honest way.” 

“ God bless you, sir,” said he ; “I will try what I can 
do. W e must talk the matter over, for they may suspect 
something, and then it would be all over with us.” 

We continued to run down till we were 'in the latitude 
of the Virgin Isles, and then we altered her course for 
Jamaica. The first and second mates generally received 
information of Captain Toplift as to his movements and 
intentions, which they communicated to the crew. If the 
crew disapproved of them, they said so, and they were 
considered to have some voice in the matter. 

Now, although no navigators, these men knew enough 
of a chart and a course to find that there must be some 
reason for its being altered as it was, instead of running 
down by the Spanish Main, and they inquired why the 
cruise was altered. 

Captain Toplift replied that he had taken my advice, 
and that I had assured him that at the back of the island 
of Jamaica we should certainly fall in with some rich 
Spanish vessels, if we lay there quiet in some nook or 
another for a short time, as this was their time for com- 
ing up from the south to the Havannah, where they 
rendezvoused for a convoy. 

This reply appeared very satisfactory to the crew, for 
they were all cheerful and obedient, and we ran down to 
Jamaica, and when we were close in shore we shortened 
sail and hove to. We remained three or four days in 
the offing, that we might not cause any suspicion by our 
leaving too soon. Captain Toplift then told the mates 
that I proposed anchoring in some secret bay or inlet, as 
we were certain to see the Spanish ships if we could send 
any one ashore on the hills to look out for them. This 


272 THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 

was agreed to, and we made sail and ran along the coast, 
looking out for some convenient anchorage. 

As we were so doing, a vessel hove in sight, and we 
immediately made all sail in chase. As she did not at- 
tempt to avoid us, we hauled off as she came near, to see 
what she might be. She then hoisted a yellow flag at her 
peak (for she was an hermaphrodite brig) ; this puzzled 
us not a little, and we edged down toward her, for she 
was very rakish-looking, except in her sails. 

As we neared, finding, I suppose, that we did not 
answer her signals, and we were not the vessel she ex- 
pected us to be, she suddenly altered her course before 
the wind, setting all the sail that she possibly could. We 
immediately crowded canvas in chase, and came up with 
her fast. As we ran, the mate and I looked at her through 
the glass, and I made her out to be the Transcendant, 
the captain of which had treated us so cruelly when we 
were in the boat, and who had robbed us of our money 
and clothes. I called the Portuguese and desired them 
to look at the vessel through the glass, and give me their 
opinion. They directly said that it was the vessel I sup- 
posed. 

“ Let us only catch the rascal/’ said I, “ and we will 
pay him in his own coin ; ” and I immediately gave direc- 
tions for the better trimming of the sails, so anxious was 
I to come up with him. 

The men of the schooner were much pleased at the 
anxiety I displayed to come up with the chase, and by 
the alacrity with which they obeyed me I saw how anx- 
ious they were that I should be their captain. In two 
hours we were within gun-shot, and sent one of our bow- 
chasers after him. Perceiving that it was useless to ri;n, 
the fellow hove to, and as we came alongside he was all 
ready with his boat to come on board. He did so, and 
at first I kept out of sight to hear what he would say. He 
was followed up the side by his amiable son. Captain 
Toplift received him on deck, and he looked around him, 
saying, “ I believe I am right. I was afraid I had made 
more mistakes than one. I believe you are in the free 
trade ?” 

“ Yes,” replied Toplift, “ we are.” 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 


273 


“ Yes, I thought so, captain, but I expected to meet 
another schooner which is very like to yours, and is also 
in the trade. I made my signal to her, as when she has 
any thing to get rid of, why I take it off her hands. Per- 
haps you may have something of the kind which is not 
exactly safe to show, — church-plate and the like. I pay 
ready money — that’s my plan.” 

As it afterward appeared, Madam, this scoundrel had 
been in the free trade, or pirating, himself, for many years, 
but had taken an opportunity of walking off with a large 
sum of money belonging to the pirate crew, and with 
this money he had purchased his property in Virginia and 
the brig which he now commanded. Although he did not 
follow up the free trade any more, he had made arrange- 
ments with a pirate captain whom he met at Port Royal 
to meet them at the back of the island and receive such 
articles as the pirate might want to turn into cash, by 
which he, of course, took care to secure large profits. 
This he had done several times, and as he sold his cargo 
at Port Royal for dollars, he had always cash to pay for 
what the pirate wished to get rid of. But he had now 
run into the lion’s jaws, for not only were I and the Por- 
tuguese on board to denounce him as a robber, but, what 
was still more unfortunate for him, three of the pirate’s 
crew, whom he had swindled out of their property, were 
also on board of us, and recognized him immediately. 

As Captain Toplift knew how I had been treated by 
him, he thought it was time he should be confronted with 
me, and to his question as to whether there was any thing 
to dispose of, he replied to him, “You must put that 
question to the captain. There he is.” 

The fellow turned to me ; he looked at me, stared, 
and was mute, when his cub of a boy cried out, “ As sure 
as a gun it’s he, father, and no mistake.” 

“ Oh, you imp of Satan, you know me, do you ? ” re- 
plied I. “ Yes, it is he. Send all the men aft.” 

The men came fast enough. They were only waiting 
till I had spoken to them to come and give information 
against him. 

“ Now, my lads,” said I, “ this is a scoundrel who fell 
in with some of us when we were in distress, after we had 


274 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 


lost our vessel. Instead of behaving as one seaman does 
to another, he robbed us of all we had, and turned us 
adrift naked to be killed by the Indians. Of all, I and 
the two Portuguese you took on board about four months 
back are the only three left : the others perished. The 
one who was with me was burned to death by the Indians, 
and I narrowly escaped. I leave you to decide what this 
scoundrel merits.” 

“ But there is more against him, captain,” said the 
men, and four of them stepped out and declared that he 
had run away with the money belonging to the crew of 
which they were a part, and that the sum he had stolen 
amounted to 25,000 dollars. 

“ What have you to say for yourself ? ” said I to him. 

“ That I’ve been a cursed fool to be caught as I have 
been.” 

“ What will they do, father ? ” 

“ Hang us, I suppose,” replied he. 

“ Captain Toplift,” said I, “ I do not command this 
vessel, and I shall therefore leave you to decide upon 
the fate of this miscreant ; ” and, having said that, I was 
goingbelowto the cabin, when the captain of the Trans- 
cendant’s son ran to me, and said, “ I want to speak to 
you, sir, when you are alone.” 

“ What are you after, Peleg ? ” cried his father. 

“ I’m going to save your life, father, if I can,” replied 
he. 

“ You’ll be clever if you do that, boy,” said the man, 
sneeringly. 

I allowed the boy to follow me down into the cabin, 
and then asked him what he had to say. 

“ I have that to tell you which is of more value than the 
lives of a hundred boys like me.” 

“ Boys like you ? Why I thought it was to save your 
father’s life that you came down, sir ? ” 

“ Pooh ! ” said he, “ let him hang ; he was born for a 
halter. I am come to save my own life. I only said 
that to gammon him.” 

“ You’re a hopeful youth,” said I ; “ and pray what is 
that you can tell me that will save your own neck from 
the halter ? ” 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 275 

“ That which will save your own, most likely,” replied 
the boy, “ tit-for-tat’s all fair.” 

“ Well, let’s hear it then,” replied I. 

“ No, not unless you promise. I can swing, if need be, 
as well as father, but I’d rather not, ’cause I know where 
all his money is hidden.” 

“ I can’t make any promise,” replied I. 

“ Then I can’t tell,” replied he, “ so I may e’en go on 
deck and tell father that I can not manage it ; ” and as he 
said the latter part of this speech, the undaunted little vil- 
lain actually laughed at the idea of gammoning his father, 
as he termed it. 

Train up a child in the way he should go, and he will 
not depart from it, is mostly true ; but it is more certain 
that if you train a child up in the way that he should not 
go, he will be a more true disciple. Could there be a 
more decided proof of the above than the behavior of 
this young villain ? but his father had made him so, 
and thus was he rewarded. 

“ Stop,” said I, for I had reflected whether, after all, 
there were any grounds for hanging the boy, and come 
to a conclusion that a jury would have probably acquitted 
him. “ Stop,” said I ; “ you say that what you can tell 
is of the greatest consequence.” 

“ And becomes of more consequence every minute that 
passes,” replied he. “ I will tell you every thing, and let 
you into father’s secrets. I peach upon father alto- 
gether.” 

“ Well then,” replied I, “ if what you have to disclose 
proves important, I will do all I can to save your life, 
and I have no doubt that I shall be able so to do.” 

“ No more have I,” replied he, “ or I would not have 
come to you. Now then, father came to the back of the 
island to do a little business with a pirate schooner, as 
he said just now ; and he has very often done it before, 
as he said just now ; but father did not tell you all. 
When we were in Port Royal, father went to the captain 
of a king’s vessel who is there, having been sent to put 
down the pirates if possible, and he offered this captain 
of the king’s ship, for a certain sum, to put our friends 
that we exchange with into his hands. 


276 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 


“ What, betray his friend the pirate ? 

“ Yes, father agreed that he would come round as he 
has done this day, and would contrive to chaffer and 
bargain with him and keep him so late in the bay that 
the king’s ship should come upon him all of a sudden 
and take him, and this was father’s intention, only you 
have pinned him. The king’s ship will be round that 
point in two hours or thereabouts, so if you are found 
here you will be taken and hanged as sure as I ain’t 
hanged yet. Now ain’t this important news, and worth 
all I asked for it ? ” 

“ It certainly is, if it is true, boy.” 

“ Oh, I’ll prove it, for I always goes with father, and he 
trusts me with every thing. I saw the paper signed. 
The king’s ship is called the Vestal, and the captain who 
signed the paper signed it Philip Musgrave.” 

“ Indeed,” said I, turning away, for I did not wish the 
boy to perceive my emotion at this announcement. I re- 
covered myself as soon as I could, and said to him, 

“ Boy, I will keep my promise. Do you stay below, 
and I will go on deck and plead for your life.” 

“ Mayn’t I go on deck for a bit ? ” said he. 

“ What ! to wish your father good-by ? No, no, you 
had better spare yourself and him that painful meeting.” 

“ No, I don’t want to wish him good-by, — I’ll wait 
till it’s over, only I never did see a man hanged, and I 
have a curiosity to have just a peep.” 

“ Out, you little monster,” cried I, running up on deck, 
for the information I had received was too important 
not to be immediately taken advantage of. 

“ Well, captain, has the boy saved his father’s life ? ” 
“ No,” replied I, in a loud voice. 

“ Then, up he goes,” said the men, for the halter had 
been round his neck and run out to the yard-arm for 
some time, and the men had manned the rope, only wait- 
ing my return on deck. In a second, the captain of the 
Transcendant was swinging in the air, and certainly if ever 
a scoundrel merited his fate it was that man. Shortly 
afterward I turned round, and there was the young 
hopeful looking at his father’s body swinging to and fro 
with the motion of the vessel. 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 


277 


I looked in vain for a tear in his eye ; there was not a 
symptom of emotion. Seeing me look sternly at him, he 
hastened down below again. 

“ My lads,” said I to the men, who were all on deck, 
“ I have received intelligence of that importance that I 
recommend that we should cut that vessel adrift, and 
make sail without a moment’s loss of time.” 

“ What, not plunder ? ” cried the men, looking at the 
Transcendant. 

“ No, not think of it, if you are wise.” 

At this reply all of the men exclaimed that “ that 
would not do ” — “ that plunder they would ” — that “ I 
was not the captain of the vessel,” — and many more 
expressions, showing how soon a man may lose popu- 
larity on board of a pirate vessel. 

“ I gave my opinion, my men, and if you will heaj 
why I said so — ” 

“ No, no, out boats,” cried they all, and simultane. 
ously ran to lower down the boats, for it was now calm^ 
that they might tow the schooner alongside of the Trans 
Cendant. 

“ You might as well talk to the wind as talk to them 
when there is plunder to be obtained,” said Toplift to 
me in a low tone. 

“ Come down with me,” said I, “ and I will tell you 
what I have heard.” 

“ Ain’t they going to plunder the brig ? ” said Master 
Peleg, when we came down ; “ I know where father’s 
dollars are,” and up he ran on deck. 

I made a short remark upon the depravity of the boy, 
and then informed Captain Toplift of what he had 
told me. 

“ If you had told them, they would not have paid 
attention to you. The boat’s crew who came with the 
captain have told them that there is money on board, 
and all authority is now at an end.” 

“ Well,” replied I, “ I believe that the boy has told 
the truth.” 

“ And what do you mean to do ? ” 

“ Remain below quietly, if I am allowed,” replied I. 

“ But I can not,” said he ; “ they would throw me 
overboard.” 


278 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 


“ Make as bad a fight of it as you can,” replied I. 

“ That I will,” said Captain Toplift, “and with so 
superior a force opposed, we can not stand long. But I 
must tell you where you must be.” 

“ Where ? ” replied I. 

“ At the entrance of the magizine, for as sure as we 
stand here they will blow up the vessel rather than be 
taken. Not all of them, but two or three I know are 
determined so to do, and resolute enough to do it. My 
pistols are there. You have only to open this door, and 
you are in the magazine passage. See,” said he, opening 
the door, “there is the scuttle where they hand the 
powder up.” 

“ I will be on the watch, depend upon it ; and, Cap- 
tain Toplift, if the schooner is taken, and I am alive, 
you may have no fear for yourself.” 

“ Now let us go on deck again.” 

“ I will follow you,” replied I. 

“ I am alone at last, thank Heaven ! ” said I to my- 
self. “ What a position am I in, and how much will be 
in suspense before twenty-four hours are over ! My own 
brother here, not ten miles perhaps from me, command- 
ing the vessel which will attack this on which I am on 
board. That they will take us I have no doubt ; but 
what risk do I run — of death by shot, or by their blow- 
ing up the vessel in spite of me, or of no quarter being 
given. Well, I wish it were decided. At all events, I 
am long supposed dead, and I shall not be recognized 
among the heaps of the bodies.” 

I then went to the locker and took out my duck frock 
and trowsers, determining that I would, if I were killed, 
be killed in those clothes, and be thrown overboard as a 
common seaman. I then went on deck, for I heard the 
grating of the sides of the two vessels, and knew that 
they were in contact. 

All was uproar and confusion on board of the Trans- 
cendant, but there was nobody on board the schooner 
except Toplift and myself. I can not say that I never 
saw such a scene, for I had seen quite as bad on board 
of a privateer. The common seamen, as well as the 
soldiers, when let loose to plunder, are like maniacs, 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 


279 


In half an hour they had broken open every thing, cut 
the crew to pieces, and found out the hoard of dollars, 
which was shown them by young Peleg, who tried for 
his share, but for so doing received a chop with a cut- 
lass, which cut off his right ear, and wounded him 
severely on the shoulder ; but his right arm was not 
disabled, and while the man that cut him down was 
bending over a heap of dollars, which took both hands 
to lift them, the boy ran his knife deep into the man’s 
side, who fell mortally wounded. The rush for the 
dollars thus at the mercy of the rest was so great, that 
Peleg was not minded, and he crept away and came on 
board the schooner. We saw that he was bleeding 
profusely, but we asked no questions, and he went down 
the ladder forward. 

“What has that young villain been after?” said 
Toplift. 

“ I presume he has been quarreling for plunder, and 
considered that he had a greater right to his father’s 
money than any body else.” 

Among other plunder the people had not forgotten to 
look for liquor, and an hour had not passed before three- 
fourths of the men were more or less intoxicated. They 
had found plenty of good clothes, and were strutting 
about with gold-laced waist-coats and embroidered coats 
over their dirty frocks. The uproar increased every 
minute, when Toplift, who had been looking out with 
the glass, exclaimed, “ There she is, by all that’s sacred ! ” 

I caught the glass out of his hand, and found it was 
the king’s ship. She was a large flush vessel, apparently 
of eighteen or twenty guns, just opening from the point, 
and not seven miles from us. We were still becalmed, 
and she was bringing the wind down with her, so that to 
escape appeared impossible. 

“Now, what shall we do?” said Captain Toplift; 
“ shall we allow her to come down upon us and say 
nothing to the men, or shall we point out the danger 
and persuade them to come on board and prepare ? ” 

“ You must do as you please,” replied I, “ I am indif- 
ferent which. It will be dark in another hour, and she 
will not be down by that time. I would rather avoid 


28 o 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 


fighting, and get away from the schooner quietly if I 
could, but that I fear is impossible now.” 

“ Well, I must go on board of the brig and let them 
know, for if they find it out themselves they will throw 
us overboard.” 

Captain Toplift then went on board of the brig, and 
calling to the men who were still sober, told them that 
there was a king’s ship coming down upon them not seven 
miles off. This had the effect of putting an end to the 
confusion and noise of a great portion of the men, who 
hastened on board of the schooner, but others, who were 
intoxicated, were with difficulty persuaded to return. 

At last they were all got on board, and the schooner, 
clear from the brig, was made ready for action ; but Top- 
lift was obliged to make some alteration in the stationing 
of the men, as those who were to hand up the powder 
were all of them tipsy. By the time that the schooner 
was ready, and the breeze had come down to her, the 
corvette was not more than three miles from us ; but it 
was quite dark, for there is no twilight in those parts. 
We consulted what course we should take to avoid her, 
if possible, and agreed that we would stand in shore and 
pass her if we possibly could. We knew that, if seen, we 
were then certain to be obliged to fight ; but if not seen, 
we might escape. 

We then shifted the helm and bore up across her bows, 
but we had not steered in this direction more than a 
quarter of an hour, when the Transcendant was perceived 
to be on fire, having been fired by the drunken men 
before they left her, and soon afterward she burst out 
into flames that threw a strong light to a great distance, 
discovering the corvette to us at two miles’ distance, and 
of course exposing us to the corvette, who immediately 
altered her course for us. We had therefore only to 
fight, and the crew, being most of them in liquor, declared 
they would fight till the schooner sunk under them. In 
a quarter of an hour, the corvette being close to us, and 
standing stem on, we opened our fire, raking her masts 
and yards, and then I went down below. I had changed 
my clothes for the duck trowsers and shirt which I had 
swum on board in, and I now remained quietly in the 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 


281 


cabin. A few minutes afterward the corvette opened her 
fire, and the shot did great execution. The cries of the 
wounded and the shouts of the tipsy men were mingled 
together, but the crew of the schooner fired with great 
rapidity, and sustained the unequal conflict most gal- 
lantly. 

After a time some men darted down into the cabin. I was 
then at the door which led to the magazine passage, and 
busied myself handing up the powder, as it secured me 
from observation, and it was supposed that I was one of 
the crew sent down for that duty. 

The men roared out, “ Where is the captain ? We want 
him to fight the ship. Toplift is an old fool, and don’t 
know what he is about.” 

I made no reply, but with my back toward them con- 
tinued to hand up the powder, and having changed my 
dress, they did not recognize me, so they rushed upon 
deck again. 

The corvette was now alongside of the schooner, 
pouring in her broadsides with fatal execution, the shot 
passing in every direction through her, so that there was 
as much danger below as on deck, and it was evident 
that the schooner could not oppose them much longer. 
Still they continued to fire with great resolution, being 
now sobered into more steadiness than at first. But by 
this time more than half the men were killed and 
wounded, and our guns were encumbered with the wreck 
and bodies. I heard them, at the very time that a 
crashing broadside was poured in by the corvette, cry 
out, “ Avast firing for a moment and clear the decks.” 

They did so, and, having thrown the bodies overboard 
and cut away the spars and rigging which had fallen, so 
as to enable them to work their guns, during which time 
three broadsides were poured in, they remanned their 
guns, and fought with as much spirit as before. I could 
not help admiring the courage of the scoundrels, . for 
nothing could exceed it ; but resistance was useless, 
further than they preferred dying at their guns to be 
hanged on the gibbet. 

But the shouts of the pirates and the reports of the 
guns gradually decreased. The men were swept away 


282 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 


by the enemy s fire, and the guns were one by one dis- 
abled. The schooner’s sides were torn out, and the 
water poured in so fast that it was rising to the magazine. 
I heard a cry of boarders, and the striking of the two 
vessels together, and then there was a rush down below, 
when a man came aft to the magazine passage. It was 
the fellow whom I had struck down on the quarter-deck 
and had put into irons. 

“ Come along,” said he, to the others ; “ we’ll send the 
corvette and ourselves all to the devil together. Out of 
the way there.” 

“ Stand back,” said I. 

“ Stand back,” replied he, pointing his pistol down to 
the magazine. 

I threw up his arm, and the pistol went off, striking 
the beams above. 

“ Blast you,” cried he, “ whoever you are ; but I’ve 
another,” and he attempted to draw it out of his belt ; 
but before he could effect it I blew out his brains with 
the pistol which I had ready cocked in my hand. 

His companions started back, and I pointed my second 
pistol at them, saying, “ The man who comes forward 
this way dies.” 

As I said this the crew of the corvette, who had 
cleared the decks, charged down below, and the pirates 
ran away and secreted themselves. Perceiving them 
coming forward, I said to them, “ Put a guard over the 
magazine ; they have attempted to blow up the vessel 
already.” 

“ Who are you ? ” said an officer. 

“ A prisoner,” replied I. 

“ Well, then, lead him on deck, and stay here, two of 
you ; shut down the magazine scuttle and keep guard.” 

“ Thank Heaven,” thought I, “ that this affair is 
over,” as a seaman led me by the collar on deck, and 
handed me to others, who took me on board of the 
corvette. 

We were all put down below that remained out of the 
schooner’s crew, about eighteen or nineteen, not more, 
and I was glad to find Captain Toplift, although badly 
wounded with a splinter, was among the number. We 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 


283 


remained there huddled together with a guard of ten 
men over us for more than an hour, when we heard, from 
the conversation on deck, that the schooner had sunk. 
After that the guns of the corvette were secured, and the 
men had an allowance of liquor served out to them, the 
watch was called, and all was quiet during the remainder 
of the night. For some time I was in a state of excite- 
ment from the events of the last twenty-four hours 
crowding so rapidly, but by degrees I became calm. I 
asked one of the guard who was the captain of the cor- 
vette. 

“ What’s that to you, you gallows-bird ? ” replied he. 

“ A civil question might receive a civil reply,” 
answered I. 

“ So it might with any one else ; but if you don’t want 
the hilt of my cutlass down your throat, you will hold your 
tongue.” 

But I did not require to repeat the question, as I heard 
one of the officers on deck say, “ It’s Captain Musgrave’s 
orders.” 

This satisfied me, and I lay down with the rest of the 
prisoners, waiting for daybreak, when I trusted my 
troubles would soon be over. They were all sound 
asleep. Strange that men who knew that they would be 
hanged in a few days, if not the next morning, should 
sleep so sound — but so it was — while I, who had every 
reason to believe that my sufferings were over, could not 
sleep one wink. I was, however, fully satisfied with my 
own castle-buildings during the night, and more satisfied 
when it was again broad daylight. After the men had 
had their breakfast, an order came down for all the 
prisoners to be brought on deck. We were led up under 
guard, and made to stand all in a row. I looked round 
for my brother, but he was not on deck. It was the first 
lieutenant who was there, with several other officers, and 
the clerk, with pen and ink, to take down the name of 
the prisoners. 

“ Who was the captain of this vessel ? ” said the first 
lieutenant. 

“ I was, sir,” replied Toplift ; “ but much against my 
will.” 


284 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 


“ Oh, of course ; every man was on board of her 
against his will. What is your name ? Put him down, 
Mr. Pearson. Any other officers alive ? ” 

“No, sir,” replied Toplift. 

The name of every man was then asked and put down 
and it so happened that I was the last ; for, anxious to 
see my brother, I had walked up the foremost, and they 
had commenced their interrogation at the other end of 
the line. 

“ What is your name ? ” 

“ I do not belong to the schooner,” replied I. 

“ Of course not : you dropped on board her from the 
clouds.” 

“ No, sir, I did not ; I swam on board of her to save 
my life.” 

“ Then you went out of the frying-pan into the fire, I 
reckon, my good fellow* for your life is forfeited now.” 

“ I rather think not, sir*” replied I. “ On the contrary, 
I feel it is quite safe.” 

“ Give us none of your jaw, my good fellow, but give 
us your name.” 

“ Certainly, sir, if you require it. My name is Alex- 
ander Musgrave, sir,” replied I ; “lam the elder brother 
of your captain, Philip Musgrave, and I will thank you to 
go into his cabin and inform him that I am here.” 

The first lieutenant and officers started back in aston- 
ishment, and so did Captain Toplift and the pirates. 
The first lieutenant hardly knew whether to consider it 
as a pretense on my part or not, and was undecided how 
to act, when Captain Toplift said, “ I do not know 
whether the gentleman is as he says, but this is certain, 
and all the men can prove it as well as myself, that he did 
swim on board, as he said, to escape from the Indians, 
and that he has never joined the crew. They offered to 
make him captain in my stead, and he positively refused 
it.” 

“ Yes,” said all the pirates ; “ that’s true enough.” 

“ Well, sir,” replied the first lieutenant, “ I will cer- 
tainly carry your message.” 

“To make all certain,” replied I, “ I will write my 
name on a slip of paper for you to take in to the captain. 
He knows my signature.” 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 


28s 

I did so, and the first lieutenant took the paper, and 
went into the cabin. In a minute he returned, and 
requested me to follow him. I did so, and in another 
minute I was in the arms of my brother. For some time 
we neither of us could speak. At last Philip said, “ That 
you are alive and well let me thank Heaven. I have con- 
sidered you as dead, and so have others ; and to find you 
on board of a pirate — on board of a vessel which I have 
been riddling with shot, any one of which might have 
caused your death ! Thank God I was ignorant that 
you were on board, or I never could have done my duty. 
I will not ask how you came on board of this vessel, for 
that must be the end of your narrative, which I must 
have from the time that you first left Rio, and afterward in 
detail the whole from the time that you left the Coast.” 

“ Then they received my letters from Rio ? ” 

“ Yes, after imagining you were dead, they were rejoiced 
by those letters ; but I will not anticipate my story, nor 
will I now ask for yours ; it is sufficient at present that 
you are alive, my dear Alexander, and once more in my 
arms.” 

“ Let me ask one question,” replied I. 

“ I know what it will be. She was in good health, but 
suffering much in mind from having no account of you. 
Her father and others have reasoned with her, and painted 
the impossibility of your being in existence, as the xebeque 
you sailed in had never been heard of. She still adheres 
to the opinion that you are alive, and will not abandon 
the hope of seeing you again ; but hope deferred has 
paled her cheek even more pale than it usually is, and 
she evidently suffers much, for her life is wrapped in yours. 
Now, having told you this, you must come into my state- 
room, and allow me to enable you to appear as my brother 
ought to do. I do not think that there is any difference 
in our size now, although there was when we last parted.” 

“ Many thanks, Philip, but before I adonize my out- 
ward man I should wish to satisfy my inward cravings ; 
and, to tell you the truth, I’m so hungry from not having 
broken my fast for nearly twenty-four hours, that if you 
could order something to eat while you are looking out 
the clothes, I should feel in no small degree grateful. 


286 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 


Philip rang the bell and ordered the steward to bring 
something to eat and drink, and after eating I occupied 
a quarter of an hour more in getting rid of the pirate 
smoke and dirt, and putting on one of his uniforms, for 
he had no other clothes on board, when I came out look- 
ing not at all like a pirate. 

“ Now, then,” said Philip, “before we have our tete-a-tete > 
come out with me, and let me introduce you to the 
officers as my brother.” 

I went out with him, and was formally introduced. 
The first lieutenant apologized for his rough speech, but 
I told him that there was no occasion for any apology, as 
I had no doubt that I looked very much like a pirate at 
the time. 

“ More than you do now, sir, at all events,” replied he. 

“ By the by, brother,” said I, “ there is one man 
among the prisoners who, although compelled to act as 
captain by the men, is no pirate. His conduct I will 
explain to you. May I request him to be kindly treated ? 
His name is Toplift — and also two Portuguese, my former 
companions.” 

“ Certainly,” replied Philip, “ your word is sufficient. 
Let those persons be released and taken care of,” said he 
to the first lieutenant. “ We will wait for the particulars 
by and by.” 

I remained on deck about ten minutes, and then 
returned to the cabin with my brother. 

“ What is this which you have left on my dressing- 
table ? ” said Philip, surveying the leather bag which con- 
tained the dianond. 

“ That, Philip,” said I, “ is a portion of my narrative, 
and eventually may prove a very important one. I don’t 
think that I can afford to make you a present of it, but 
I shall see.” 

“ It does not look very valuable,” replied he. 

“ At all events, do me the favor to lock it up carefully,” 
replied I. 

“ Well, if you are in earnest I will,” he said, and having 
put it in a drawer and locked it up, he said, “ Now, Alex- 
ander, let me have your history.” 

I commenced, and told him all that the reader is now 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 


287 


acquainted with. Dinner broke off my narrative, and as 
soon as it was over I resumed it. When I had finished, 
he expressed his astonishment, and asked many questions. 
Among others he said, “And that little wretch Peleg, the 
captain of the Transcendant’s son, is he on board ? ” 

“ I have not seen him,” replied I, “ and therefore pre- 
sume that he was not able to move, and went down in 
the schooner.” Which was the case. 

“ You have indeed told me a strange tale,” said Philip, 
“ and you have had some extraordinary escapes. You 
must have a charmed life, and you appear to have been 
preserved to prove that Amy’s persuasion of your being 
still alive was just and well-founded ; and now it is my 
turn to talk, and yours to listen. When I left you as 
lieutenant of Captain Levee’s schooner, we very shortly 
afterward had an action with a Spanish vessel of very 
superior force, for she mounted thirty guns. Having no 
chance with her, from her superior weight of metal, we 
threw ourselves on her bow and boarded. The Spaniards 
did not relish this kind of close fighting, and gave us 
immediate possession of their deck. Captain Levee, 
when he brought in his prize, was appointed to a frigate 
of thirty-six guns, and I followed him as his first lieuten- 
ant. We had another combat with a vessel of equal 
force, in which we were the victors, and I was sent in the 
prize. Captain Levee wrote very kindly in my behalf, 
and I was made a captain, and given the command of a 
small brig. But let me first finish with Captain Levee. 
He captured a galleon, which gave him a large fortune, 
and he then gave up the command of his ship, and went 
on shore, telling me in a letter that he had hitherto squan- 
dered away all his money, but now that he had got so 
much, he intended to keep it. He has done so, for he 
has purchased a large landed property, is married, and, I 
believe, is very happy.” 

“ He deserves it,” replied I ; “ and long may he be 
so.” 

“ Well, to continue. I was sent out on this station, 
and, having information that the vessel which you are now 
on board ot was at anchor in a bay close to the Havannah, 
I ran in and reconnoitered. She hoisted Spanish colors, 


2S8 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 


and I did the same. It fell calm, and I lay about four 
miles outside. I was mistaken for another Spanish vessel, 
and the captain of this vessel, or, to speak correctly, the 
Spanish captain of the Spanish brig, came out to see me, 
and did not discover his mistake till he was on board. 
1 detained him and his boat’s crew. It continued calm 
till the evening, when the breeze sprung up, and I put 
the head cf the brig right for the bay, as if I were going to 
anchor. The breeze being light, it was dark before I 
got in and alongside this vessel. They were completely 
surprised, for they imagined that their captain was dining 
with his old friend, and, having no idea that we were any 
thing but Spanish, had not the least preparation for resist- 
ance. We had possession of her decks before they could 
seize their arms, and I brought her out without any one 
knowing that she had been captured. On my arrival, 
the admiral gave me the command of her, which I have 
held for nine months : but she is very defective, and I 
was ordered home, and should have sailed, had it not 
been that that scoundrel, the captain of the Transcendant, 
gave me the information which induced me to come round 
to the back of the island. Little did I think what happi- 
ness awaited me. So much for myself. Do not think 
me an egotist for speaking of myself, I am only clearing 
away the less important information to arrive at that which 
most interests you. The Amy arrived safe with her valu- 
able cargo. The captain reported that he had remained 
at the rendezvous until blown off by a sort of hurricane, 
and that, finding himself a long way off, he considered, 
when the gale had ceased, that he was not justified in 
remaining with so valuable a cargo, but was bound to 
make the best of his way to Liverpool. He was right, 
and his conduct was approved of by Mr. Trevannion, who 
looked for your arrival every hour. At last a week passed 
away and you did not make your appearance, and great 
alarm was entertained for your safety. The weeks grew 
into months, and it was supposed that you had been upset 
in the same hurricane which had driven the Amy so far 
off from her rendezvous. The poor girl Whyna was, as 
you may suppose, kindly received by Mr. Trevannion and 
his daughter, and soon gained their affection ; but she 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 


289 

pined for your return, and when she was told that you 
were dead she never recovered it. The climate certainly 
did not agree with her, and she contracted a very bad 
cough during the winter, but I believe from my heart 
that it was your loss which affected her the most severely. 
After she had been about eighteen months in England, 
she fell into a consumption and died." 

“ Poor Whyna ! ” said I, with a sigh. 

“ Alexander,” said Philip, “ perhaps it was all for the 
best, for that poor girl loved you sincerely, and, suppos- 
ing that she was now still alive and living with Miss Tre- 
vannion, and on your return your marriage should 
(which, of course, unless Heaven decrees otherwise, it 
will) take place, that poor creature would have been very 
unhappy; and although the idea of her being a rival to 
Miss Trevannion is something which may be absurd to 
us, yet she had the same feelings, and must have endured 
the same pangs, as any other woman, let her color be 
what it may. I think, therefore, that her removal was a 
blessing and a happy dispensation. I saw Mr. Trevan- 
nion and his daughter but once previous to their receiv- 
ing your letters from Rio, acquainting them with your 
misfortunes and happy deliverance from slavery. They 
were both very dejected, and Mr. Trevannion talked of 
retiring from business, and living upon his property near 
Liverpool. As I corresponded regularly with Amy, I 
learned that he had done so, and had just wound up his 
affairs when your letter arrived from Rio with an order 
on the Portuguese Exchequer for a considerable sum. I 
hardly need say that the joy occasioned by the intelli- 
gence was great. Amy recovered her good looks, and 
her father bitterly lamented his having retired from busi- 
ness, as he had wished to have made the whole over to 
you. The money you remitted from Rio he considered 
as your own, and he also set apart your share of the 
business from the time that you were admitted as a part- 
ner. He was not aware that you could carry a diamond 
of such immense value about your person, exposed to the 
view of every one ; among Indians, settlers, and pirates. 
That my delight was equal to theirs you will, I am sure, 
give me credit to believe ; and although I was obliged to 


290 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 


sail for the West Indies, every day I anticipated receiving 
a letter informing me of your arrival in England. Judge 
then my distress at first receiving a letter stating that you 
had not been heard of for three months after your leaving 
Rio, and expressions of fear that some accident had hap- 
pened, and then month after month many more and more 
desponding letters, in which Mr. Trevannion plainly stated 
that the xebeque must have foundered ; and only Amy 
clinging to the hope that you were still alive. I acknowl- 
edge that I considered you dead, and you may therefore 
imagine my surprise and delight when your signature on 
the slip of paper proved that you were not only in exist- 
ence, but on board the same vessel with me.” 

Such was the narrative of my brother Philip in return 
for mine, and it was late at night when we parted. Oh ! 
how sincerely did I pray that night, thanking Heaven for 
all its mercies, and entreating that the cup might not be 
again dashed from my lips. When I arose next morning 
I found that Philip was on deck, and I followed him. 

“We shall soon be in Port Royal with this wind,” 
said he, “and I hope to find the admiral still there.” 

I had some conversation with the officers, and then 
went below to see Toplift. He was in his hammock, for 
he had much fever and suffered from his wound, but the 
surgeon said that he would do well. 

“ Toplift,” said I, “you must keep your mind at ease, 
for my brother has promised me that you shall not be 
tried with the others, and has no doubt that when he ex- 
plains the whole to the admiral you will be thanked for 
your service.” 

“Thanked ! ” said Toplift, “ if I am not hanged, I 
shall be fortunate enough.” 

“ No fear of that,” replied I, “ so keep your mind easy 
and get well as fast as you can.” 

“ Well then, sir, you have saved my life, at all events, 
for had you not come on board, no one would have ever 
spoken for me, or believed that I was not a pirate in 
heart like all the others, except the two Portuguese.” 

“ If necessary, they will be evidence in your favor, but 
I do not think any evidence will be required except mine, 
and that will be sufficient with the admiral. I promised 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 


29I 


you that you should never want the means of getting 
your livelihood, and I repeat that promise now.” 

“ Thank you, sir,” replied he, and I then left him and 
went up to the cabin to breakfast. 

The following day we were at anchor at Port Royal; my 
brother reported what had occurred, and the admiral 
sent for all the pirate prisoners except Toplift, whose 
case was so fully represented by me and my brother, that 
he was permitted to go at large, and to take a passage 
home to England free of expense if he wished it. It is 
hardly necessary to say that Toplift accepted this offer, 
and remained in the vessel with me. The two Portu- 
guese were also liberated. Three days after our arrival 
we sailed for England, and after a quick run of between 
five and six weeks, we anchored at Spithead. My 
brother could not leave his ship, and I therefore re- 
quested him to write to Liverpool, stating that he had 
intelligence of me, and that I was alive ; that I had been 
wrecked and had fallen into the hands of the Indians 
near the English settlements in Virginia, and that I had 
escaped and was, he believed, at Jamestown. 

I considered it wise to make a communication like this 
at first, as too sudden an announcement might be dan- 
gerous to one in so weak a state of health as Philip stated 
my Amy to be from the letter he had received from her 
father. I remained with him at Portsmouth until the 
reply came. Mr. Trevannion wrote and told Philip that 
his communication had, as it were, raised his daughter 
from the grave — as she had fallen into a state of profound 
melancholy, which nothing could remove — that he had 
very cautiously introduced the subject, and by degrees 
told her what was reported, and eventually, when he 
found that she was more composed, that he had put 
Philip’s letter into her hand. 

He concluded that he trusted that I would arrive, and 
soon, for if any accident was now to happen to me it 
would be the death of his daughter, who had not strength 
enough left to bear another reverse. At my request 
Philip then wrote that he had received a letter from a 
brother officer stating I was well and safe on board, 
and that they would be in England a few days after 
the receipt of the letter. 


292 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 


Leaving directions to Philip how to proceed, I now 
went off to London, and, having fitted myself out with 
every requisite of dress and toilet, I called upon a cele- 
brated Jew diamond merchant and showed him my dia- 
mond, requesting that he would weigh it and then esti- 
mate its value. He was much astonished at the sight of 
such a stone, as well he might be,, and after weighing it and 
examining it he pronounced it worth £47,000, provided 
a purchaser could be found for an article of such value. 

I told him that I was not a merchant, and could not 
be traveling about to show the diamond to crowned 
heads ; but if he would give me a liberal price for it, I 
would abate a great deal, that he might dispose of it to 
his own advantage. He requested that he might call 
upon me with two of his friends, that they might see the 
diamond and consult with him ; and then he would give 
me an answer. We fixed the time for twelve o’clock on 
the following day, and I took my leave. 

The next day he called at the time appointed, accom- 
panied by two gentlemen of his own persuasion. They 
weighed the stone again very carefully, examined it by 
the light of a powerful lamp to ascertain its water, and to 
see if there were any flaws in it, calculated the reduction 
of weight which would take place in cutting it, and, after 
a consultation, I was offered ,£38,000. I considered 
this an offer that I ought not to refuse, and I closed with 
them. The next day the affair was settled. I received 
money and bills on government to the amount, and 
wrote to Philip telling him what had taken place. Strange 
that from two slaves in the mines I should have received 
such valuable legacies ; from poor Ingram a diamond 
worth so much money, and from the other Englishman a 
tattered Bible which made me a sincere Christian — a 
legacy in comparison of which the diamond was as 
dross. 

Philip replied to my letter congratulating me on the 
sale of the diamond, and informing me that to his letter 
he had received a reply containing so satisfactory an 
account of Amy’s restored health, that he had written to 
tell them that 1 had arrived safe in England, and would 
be very soon with them. He recommended my going 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 


293 


immediately, as the anxiety and suspense would be very 
injurious to Amy’s health. I therefore made every 
arrangement for my departure, purchased horses, and 
procured four stout serving men, well armed, to accom- 
pany me, and wrote a letter, which I sent by an express 
courier, stating the exact day which I expected to arrive 
at Mr. Trevannion’s country-seat. 

I waited in London two days to wind up all my affairs, 
and to give time for the express to arrive before me, as I 
intended to travel very fast. My stay in London was the 
occasion of an important discovery. I was at the coffee- 
house at St. Paul’s, and was talking with one of Captain 
Levee’s officers, with whom I had picked up an acquaint- 
ance, when, on his calling me by the name of Musgrave, 
a pinched-up sort of looking personage, in a black suit, 
who was standing at a bay-window, turned round, and 
coming up to me said, “ Sir, as a stranger I must apolo- 
gize, but hearing your friend call you by the name of 
Musgrave, may I venture to ask if you are any relative 
to Sir Richard Musgrave, Baronet, who lived in Cum- 
berland ? ” 

“ Lived, did you say, sir ? Is he then dead ? ” 

“ Yes, sir ; he has been dead these last seven months, 
and we are looking out for his heir and can not find 
him.” 

“ I knew the family very well,” replied I, “ for I am 
connected with it. His eldest son, Richard, of course, 
must be his heir, as all the estates are entailed.” 

“ His eldest son, Richard, sir, is dead. We have 
authenticated documents to prove that ; and, moreover, 
his second son, Charles, is also dead. He came home 
very ill and died, not at his father’s house, but at the 
house of one of the tenants on the estate. It is his third 
son, Alexander Musgrave, whom we seek, and seek in 
vain. He is now the heir to the baronetcy and estates, 
but we have lost all clew to him. We understand that a 
Captain Philip Musgrave is just arrived from the West 
Indies. He is, we presume, the fourth son. But until 
we can find out what has become of Alexander Musgrave, 
and whether he is dead or alive, we can not act. I have 
written this day to Captain Musgrave, requesting any 


294 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 


information he can give, but have received no answer. 
I presume, sir, it is useless to inquire of you ? ” 

“ Not exactly, sir, for I am the Alexander Musgrave 
you seek.” 

“ Indeed, sir, but what proof have you of your iden- 
tity to offer to us ? ” 

“The evidence of my brother, Captain Philip Mus- 
grave, in whose ship I have just arrived from the West 
Indies ; that his answer to your letter will be satisfactory 
enough, I have no doubt. Here is a letter from him to 
me, in which you see he addresses me ‘ my dear Alex- 
ander,’ and concludes with ‘your affectionate brother, 
Philip Musgrave.’ ” 

“ This is indeed satisfactory, sir,” replied the gentle- 
man. “ And I have only to receive an answer from your 
brother to make all right and clear. Allow me, sir, to 
congratulate you upon your accession to the title and 
property. I presume you will have no objection, as soon 
as the necessary proofs are obtained, to accompany me 
down to Cumberland, where, I doubt not, you will be 
recognized by many.” 

“ Of that, sir, I have not the slightest doubt,” replied 
I, “ but I can not go down with you to Cumberland at 
present. I leave London for Liverpool the day after 
to-morrow, on important business, and can not disappoint 
the parties.” 

“ Well, sir, it must indeed be an important business 
which will prevent you from taking possession of a title 
and ^4,000 per annum,” replied he ; “ but here is my 
address, and I hope I shall hear from you as soon as 
possible, as I shall remain in town till I can bring the 
heir down with me.” 

The man now looked as if he doubted me. He could 
not imagine that I could neglect the taking possession of 
the estate for any other business, and it did appear sin- 
gular, so I said to him, “ Sir, I have been long out of 
England, and am affianced to a young lady who lives 
near Liverpool. She has been waiting to hear from me 
for some time, and I have sent an express to say that I 
will be with her on such a day. I can not disappoint her, 
and I tell you more, that without I possess her, the pos- 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 


2 95 


session of the title and estates will give me very little 
pleasure.” 

“ Sir,” replied he, making a bow, “ I honor your 
sentiments, and she must be a worthy lady who can 
inspire such feelings. I only hope that you will not 
remain too long at Liverpool, as London is expensive, 
and I am anxious to return to Cumberland.” 

I then wished the gentleman farewell, and went home 
to my lodgings. I had given him my address in case he 
wanted to see me before my departure. 

The next day I received a letter from Philip inclos- 
ing the one written to him by this gentleman, whose 
name was Campbell, and who was a lawyer. Philip 
told me what reply he had made to him, and congrat- 
ulated me on my accession to the title and estates. 
Almost an hour afterward Mr. Campbell called upon 
me with Philip’s letter, which he declared to be 
highly satisfactory, and sufficient in any court of 
justice. 

“ But,” said he, “ I would wish to ask you a few 
particulars.” 

“ And I also would wish to make a few inquiries, Mr. 
Campbell. I have heard your name in my youth, although 
I can not recollect ever having seen you.” 

“ I was the confidential adviser of your father at one 
time, sir,” replied he, “ but latterly all intercourse had 
ceased ; it was not until he was on his death-bed, and 
fully repented the foolish step which he had taken, and 
the injustice he had been guilty of, that he sent for 
me, — much to the annoyance of Lady Musgrave, who 
would have prevented me from coming into the house 
even when I arrived, had it not been for the servants, 
who disobeyed her.” 

“ And my sisters, sir, Janet and Mabel ?” 

“ Are both well, and have grown up very fine girls. 
Your father destroyed the deed by which Lady Musgrave 
was to have had a large jointure upon the estate, and 
she is now entirely dependent upon you for what she 
may receive. When do you expect to be able to come up 
from Liverpool ? ” 

“ I can hardly say, but of course as soon as I can.” 


296 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 


“ Well, sir, my own affairs will require my presence 
in the metropolis for a month. In the mean time, 
although I should have preferred to have gone down 
with you to Faristone Hall, and have at once put you 
in possession, yet affairs may remain as they are (for 
every thing is under seal, and Lady Musgrave has been 
compelled to remove) till it suits your convenience. 
I shall, however, write to let them know that you have 
been found and will soon come down and take 
possession.” 

Mr. Campbell then asked me a few questions, to which 
I replied satisfactorily, and then for the first time he 
saluted me with my title, saying, “ Sir Alexander, I will 
now take my leave.” 

The next morning I set off on my journey, and trav- 
eled with as much speed as the horses would permit. I 
arrived on the fifth day at Mr. Trevannion’s seat, about 
nine miles from Liverpool. As I rode up the avenue of 
chestnut trees, I perceived a female form looking out 
from an upper window, which soon afterward made a 
precipitate retreat. I alighted, and was received at the 
door in the embrace of Mr. Trevannion, who welcomed 
me with tears, and taking me by the hand he led me into 
an apartment where I found my adored Amy, who threw 
herself into my arms and wept as if her heart would break ; 
but her sobs were the sobs of joy, and when she did raise 
her head and look at me, it was with eyes beaming 
with pleasure, and with smiles upon her beautiful lips. 
I clasped her to my bosom, and felt that I was more 
than repaid for all I had suffered, and my heart was 
throbbing with gratitude and love. 

It was some time before we could sufficiently compose 
ourselves to enter into lengthened conversation, and 
then Amy inquired what had occurred to me to occasion 
such lengthened absence. We sat down on a sofa, and 
with Amy on one side of me and her father on the other 
I entered into my narrative. 

“ And so you have been married since we last heard 
from you?” said Amy, smiling, when I had finished 
my history. 

“ Yes,” replied I, “ I have been; but I hope I shall 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 


297 


treat my second wife a little better than I did my 
first.” 

“ I hope so too,” replied Amy ; “ but I have great 
fear that your Virginian mistress may come over and 
claim you.” 

“ I do not think that likely. From the Indians having 
followed me to the beach, they must have fallen in 
with her.” 

“ And what do you think became of her ? ” 

“ Of course I can not exactly say ; but I presume she 
died gallantly, and fought with her ax to the last.” 

That evening I had a long conversation with Mr. 
Trevannion. He told me what he had done with the 
money, which he considered as mine, and I put into his 
care the sum I had received for the diamond. I then 
spoke to him about our marriage, and requested that it 
might not be postponed. 

“ My dear Musgrave,” said he, “ my daughter’s hap- 
piness so depends upon her union with you, that I can 
only say I am willing that it should take place to-morrow. 
For yourself you know that I have the highest esteem, 
and that you must be convinced of when I have consented 
to the match without even making inquiry as to your 
family and connections. Now, however, is the time 
that I should wish to have some information about them.” 

“ My dear sir, if you only make inquiries, you will find 
that the family of Musgrave is one of the most highly 
connected in the north, and that the head of it is, or 
was, a Sir Richard Musgrave, Baronet, of Faristone Hall, 
in Cumberland. I am a near relative of his, as I can 
satisfactorily prove.” 

“ That is sufficient,” replied Mr. Trevannion. “ I shall 
leave you to plead your cause with Amy to-morrow ; so 
now, good-night.” 

The following day I told Amy that, since my arrival 
in England, I had heard of the death of my father, and 
that it was necessary that I should go to the north, as 
family affairs required my presence. 

“ Are you serious ? ” replied she. 

“ Never more so in my life. My presence is absolutely 
necessary, and I made arrangements with the legal 


298 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 


adviser of our family that I would be there in less 
than a month.” 

“ It is a long journey,” said Mr. Trevannion, “and 
how long do you stay ? ” 

“That I can not possibly say,” replied I ; “but not 
longer than I can help.” 

“ I do not think that I shall let you go,” said Amy ; 
“ you are not to be trusted out of sight. You are so born 
for adventure that you will not be heard of again for 
another two years.” 

“ Such is my misfortune, I grant,” replied I ; “ but, 
Amy, you look pale and thin ; change of air would do 
you much service. Suppose you and your father 
were to come with me. Indeed, Mr. Trevannion, I am in 
earnest. At this delightful time of the year nothing 
would prove so beneficial to her health ; and, Amy, then, 
you know, that I shall not be out of your sight.” 

“ I should like the tour very much,” replied she, 
“ but—” 

“ I know what you would say. You do not like the 
idea of traveling with me as Amy Trevannion. You are 
right. Then let me propose that you travel with me as 
Amy Musgrave.” 

“I second that proposal,” said Mr. Trevannion. 

“ Consent, Amy ; let our marriage be quite private. I 
know you will prefer that it should be so, and so will 
your father. You will then travel with me as my wife, 
and we shall never part again.” 

Amy did not reply till her father said, “ Amy, it is my 
wish that it should be so. Recollect it will be the last 
time that you have to obey your father, so do not annoy 
me by a refusal.” 

“ I will not, my dear father,” replied Amy, kissing him. 
“Your last command I obey with pleasure. And oh ! if 
I have sometimes been a willful girl, forgive me every 
thing at this moment.” 

“ My dear child, I have nothing to forgive. May God 
bless you ; and, Mr. Musgrave,” said he, putting her hand 
in mine, “ if she proves as good a wife as she has been a 
daughter, you now receive a treasure,” and I felt that the 
old man stated what was true. 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 


2 99 

It was arranged that the marriage should take place 
on that day week, and that it should be quite private. 
There was no parade of bridal clothes ; in fact, no one 
was invited, and it was, at my request, quite a secret 
marriage. A clergyman had been engaged to perform 
the ceremony, and, on the day appointed, I received the 
hand of my Amy in the drawing-room, and in the 
presence only of Humphrey and two other confidential 
servants. 

After the ceremony was over, the clergyman requested 
me to come with him into the adjoining room, and said, 
“ it was necessary that he should give a certificate of the 
marriage, which must be inserted in the parish register.” 
He had called me aside for that purpose, that I might 
give my exact name, profession, etc. 

“ My name is Alexander Musgrave, as you have heard 
when you married us.” 

“ Yes, I know that, but I must be particular. Have 
you no other name ? Is that the name that you have 
been and will be in future known by ? ” . 

“ Not exactly,” replied I ; “ I have been known by that 
name, but in the future shall not be.” 

“ Then what am I to say ? ’ 

“You must say, Sir Alexander Musgrave, Baronet, of 
Faristone Hall, Cumberland.” 

“ Good,” said he, “ that is what I required ; and the 
lady your wife, has she any other name but Amy ? ” 

“ None, I believe.” 

The clergyman then wrote out the marriage certificate 
and signed it, taking a copy for registry, and we returned 
into the drawing-room. 

“ Here is the certificate of marriage, madam,” said 
he ; “ it ought to be in the care of the lady, and, there- 
fore, my lady, I hand it over to you.” 

“ My lady is much obliged to you for your kindness,” 
replied Amy, for she thought that the clergyman was only 
facetious. 

She held the certificate in her hand, folded as it had been 
given her for some time. At last curiosity, or, perhaps, 
having nothing else to do, induced her to open and read 
it. I was at this time talking with the clergyman, and 


3°o 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 


presenting him with a handsome douceur for his trouble ; 
but, perceiving her open the certificate, I watched her 
countenance. She read and started. I turned away as 
if not observing her. She then went up to her father 
and desired him to read it. 

The old gentleman took out his glasses, and it was 
amusing to see the way in which he looked at his daughter 
with his spectacles falling off his nose. He then came 
up, and pointing to the certificate said, “ Pray, how am I 
in future to address my daughter ? ” 

“ As Amy, I trust, sir, unless you wish to scold her, 
and then you must call her Lady Musgrave. I am, my 
dear sir, as the certificate states, Sir Alexander Musgrave, 
of Faristone, with a handsome property descended to me. I 
did not know it till I arrived in London ; and if I concealed 
it from you till now, it was only that my Amy should 
have the satisfaction of proving to me that she wedded 
me in pure disinterestedness of affection.” 

“ It was very, very kind of you, Alexander, to do as 
you have done, and I thank you sincerely for it.” 

“ And now, my dear Amy, you understand why I wished 
you to come with me to Cumberland, that you may take 
possession of your future abode, and assume that position 
in society which you will so much grace. I trust, sir,” 
continued I, “ that you will not part from us, and that 
one roof will always cover us, as long as Heaven thinks 
fit to spare our lives.” 

“ May God bless you both,” replied Mr. Trevannion, 
“ I can not part with you, and must follow.” 

About half an hour after this, I requested Amy and 
Mr. Trevannion to sit by me, as I had now another narra- 
tive to give them, which was an explanation why and how 
it was they had found me in the position that they had 
done ; in short, what were the causes that induced me, 
and afterward my brother Philip, to quit our parental 
roof, and come to the resolution of fighting our own way 
in the world. It was as follows : 

“ Sir Richard Musgrave, my father, married a young 
lady of high connection, a Miss Arabella Johnson, and 
with her lived, I have every reason to believe, a very 
happy life for nearly twenty-five years, when it pleased 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 


301 


God to summon her away. I have a good recollection 
of my mother ; for although I lived with my brother 
at a private tutor’s, about six miles off, I was continu- 
ally at home, and she did not die till I was nearly six- 
teen ; and I can only say that a more elegant, amiable 
and truly virtuous woman, as I believe, never existed. 
By this marriage my father had four sons and two daugh- 
ters : Richard, the eldest ; Charles, the second ; myself, 
the third ; and Philip, the fourth ; and my sisters, who 
came last, were named Janet and Mabel. At the time 
of my mother’s death, my eldest brother was serving 
with the army, which he had entered from a love of the 
profession, although, as heir to the baronetcy and estates, 
which are a clear ^4000 per annum, he of course had no 
occasion for a profession. My second brother, Charles, 
being of an adventurous turn, had gone out to the East 
Indies in a high position, as servant to the Company. 
I was still at home, as well as Philip, who is four years 
my junior, and my sisters were of course at home. I 
pass over my regrets at my mother’s death, and will now 
speak more of my father. He was a good-tempered, 
weak man, easily led, and although, during my mother’s 
lifetime, he was so well led that it was of little conse- 
quence, the case proved very different at her death. For 
a year my father remained quiet in the house, content 
with superintending his improvements on his property, 
and he had lately become infirm, and had given up the 
hounds and rural sports in general. The dairy was one 
of his principal hobbies ; and so it happened that a 
young girl, the daughter of a laborer, was one of the 
females employed in that part of the establishment. She 
was certainly remarkably good-looking ; her features 
were very small, and she did not show that robust frame 
which people in her class of life generally do. She was 
about seventeen years old, slight in fio-ure, and certainly 
a person that you would not pass without making some 
commendatory remark upon her good looks and modest 
appearance. She was not, however, what she appeared ; 
she was beyond measure cunning and astute, and, as it 
proved, inordinately ambitious. My father, who was 
naturally of an amorous disposition, was attracted by 


3 02 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 


her, an.d very soon was constantly in the dairy, and his 
attentions were so marked, that the other servants used 
to call her ‘ my lady.’ A few months after my father 
had shown a preference for this girl, he was seized with 
his first attack of gout. It did not last him long, and in 
six weeks he was about again, and resumed his atten- 
tions to her. Philip and I, who were at our tutor’s, when 
we came home, heard from others what was going on, 
and very foolishly played the girl many tricks, and an- 
noyed her as much as we could. After we returned, 
my father had another fit of gout, and when he was con- 
fined to his room, he desired this girl to be sent for to 
attend upon him. I can not say what took place, but 
this is certain, that my father’s unfortunate passion 
became so great, and I presume the girl’s ambition rose 
in proportion, that about six months afterward this 
daughter of a menial was raised to the dignity of Lady 
Musgrave — she being at that time about eighteen, and 
my father verging on seventy. 

“ When this ill-assorted and disgraceful connection was 
known, the gentry and aristocracy of the country refused 
any longer to visit my father, and all communication 
was broken off. In a short time the ascendency which 
this artful girl gained over the old man was most won- 
derful. He lived but in her sight, and knew no will but 
hers. Her father and family were removed to a good 
house in the neighborhood, and gave themselves all the 
airs of gentlepeople. The good old steward was dis- 
missed, and her father established in his room, although 
the man could not read or write, and was wholly unfit 
for the office. The expense which she launched out into, 
by his permission, was excessive. New liveries, new 
coaches, diamonds, and dresses fit for the court — indeed, 
every kind of luxury that could be conceived, and much 
greater than my father could afford. She now showed 
herself in her true colors-; vindictive and tyrannical to 
excess, she dismissed all the old servants, and oppressed 
all those to whom she owed a grudge ; yet my poor 
father could see nothing but perfection in her. It was 
not till four months after the marriage that Philip and I 
came home, and our new step-mother had not forgotten 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 


303 

our treatment of her. She treated us with great harsh- 
ness, refused our taking meals at my father’s table, and 
ordered us the coarsest fare ; and when we complained 
to my father, denied every thing that we said. As we 
found that we could not induce our father to listen to us 
or to believe us, we tried all we could, and retaliated 
and annoyed her as much, if not more, than she annoyed 
us, by talking of her mean origin and her former occu- 
pation ; we defied her, and, in so doing, we ruined our- 
selves ; for, after a useless struggle on my father’s part, he 
gave way to her imperious commands, and sending for me 
told me that I had become such a reprobate that I was 
no longer a son of his. He threw me a purse, telling 
me that it was all I might expect from him, and that I 
was instantly to leave the house, and never show my 
face in it any more. I replied, with more spirit than 
respect, that it was high time that the son of a gentle- 
man and lady should leave the house, when such low- 
born creatures were installed in it as the mistress. My 
father, in a rage, flung his crutch at my head, and I left 
the room. 

“ As I went out I met her in the passage ; she had 
evidently been listening to what had passed, and she was 
full of exultation. 

“ ‘ It is your turn now, you she-devil,’ said I, in my 
rage; * but wait till my father dies. You shall go 
a-milking again.’ 

“ I do not mean to defend my conduct, but I was then 
not seventeen, and that must be my excuse. I little 
thought, when I said so, that it would be from my hands 
that she would have to receive bounty ; but so it is, as 
Mr: Campbell informs me that my father destroyed, pre- 
vious to his death, the papers which he had signed to 
secure her a large jointure on the estate. I set off with 
my wardrobe and the purse of twenty guineas, which my 
father had given me, and, having a desire to see the 
world, I went on board of a merchant vessel. Six 
months afterward, when we were at Liverpool, I went 
on board of a privateer. The remainder of my history 
you are already acquainted with. 

“ As soon as she had wreaked her vengeance upon 


3©4 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 


me, my brother Philip was the next ; but he was too 
young at that time to be turned adrift, so she put it off 
till the time should come, irritating and weaning my 
father from him by every means in her power. Three 
years afterward she succeeded in having him dismissed, 
also, and you know how I found him out. All these 
circumstances were very well known in the neighbor- 
hood and to our own relations ; and one only, my aunt, 
called upon my father, and, after a long conversation, 
my father consented that my sisters should go away, and 
remain under her charge. My step-mother’s violent 
temper, her exactions, her imperious conduct, which was 
now shown even toward him, with what my aunt had 
advanced, had to a certain extent opened my father’s 
eyes. He perceived that she had no other view but her 
own aggrandizement, and that she cared little for him. 
Her repeated attempts, however, to make him sign in 
her favor, in case of his death, were successful, and it 
was not till after her conduct had alienated him from 
her, and he deplored the loss of his children, that he 
committed the deed to the flames. About three years 
after I had quitted the house, my eldest brother, who 
had information of all that had passed, and who re- 
mained in the army because he declared that he never 
would go home till after his father’s death, was killed by 
a cannon-ball ; and my second brother died of a fever 
about a year ago, when resident at the court of a native 
prince. I had heard nothing of these deaths, or of 
my father’s, until my arrival in London ; of course, I 
was most anxious to go down to Cumberland, if it were 
only to undo the wickedness which this woman had done, 
and to make amends to those whom she had so cruelly 
treated. I do not feel any spirit of revenge, but I feel 
that justice demands it of me.” 

“ And I shall go with you with pleasure, to help you in 
your good work,” said Amy, “ and also because I want to 
see how she will now behave to one whom she has so per- 
secuted, and who has become the arbiter of her fate.” 

“ Well, Amy, I will not trust myself on this question. 
You shall be the arbitress of her fate, and what you de- 
cide shall be irrevocable.” 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 


305 


“ I fully appreciate the compliment you pay me,” said 
she, “ but I prefer that it should be decided in council, 
and we will call in my father to our assistance.” 

A fortnight after our marriage, we set off for London, 
in a coach with six handsome black horses, and eight 
armed servants in liveries on horseback. We arrived 
safely on the seventh day, and there we reposed for a 
time previous to setting out for Cumberland. My aunt 
was in London and attending the court, which I was not 
aware of, and with her were my two sisters, Janet and 
Mabel, whom I had not seen for years, and who warmly 
embraced me, promising that they would soon come 
down and take up their abode at the Hall. They ex- 
pressed their admiration of Amy, but, in so doing, they 
only followed the general opinion, for it was impossible 
to see and not admire her elegance and beauty. My 
aunt showed us every attention, and we were presented 
to his Majesty, who was pleased to compliment Lady 
Musgrave in very flattering terms. We were joined in 
London by my brother Philip, who had paid off his ship, 
and the day after he joined us I said, 

“ Philip, there are only you and I left. Do you recol- 
lect when you inquired about the diamond, the day we 
met on board of your ship, what reply I made to you ? ” 
“ Yes ; you said that you were afraid that you could 
not afford to make me a present of it.” 

“ At that time I did not think so, Philip, but now I 
know that I can, and I have desired Mr. Trevannion to 
put out to good security the ^38,000 that the diamond 
was sold for, in your name, and for your use. You’ll not 
hesitate to accept it, Philip, for you know that I can 
afford it.” 

“ I do not hesitate, my dear Alexander, because I would 
do the same to you, and you would not refuse me. At 
the same time, that is no reason that I should not thank 
you kindly for your generous behavior.” 

Philip accompanied us on our journey to Cumberland. 
It was tedious, for the roads were any thing but good, 
but the beauty of the scenery compensated for the rug- 
gedness of the way. In six days we arrived at the Hall, 
where Mr. Campbell, who had called upon me on my ar« 


30 6 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 


rival in London, had preceded me to make preparations 
for our reception, which was enthusiastic to the highest 
degree. We were called upon and congratulated by all 
the county, who were delighted to find that such a per- 
sonage as Amy was to be the future mistress. 

As soon as all this bustle and excitement was over, I 
sat down with Mr. Campbell to look over the state of 
affairs, and to set things to rights. 

After having done justice to many claimants, engaged 
again the old servants that had been discharged, promised 
farms to the tenants who had been unfairly turned out, 
etc., we then proceeded to decide upon what was to be 
done to the Dowager Lady Musgrave. It appears that 
at my father’s death, when she found that the deed had 
been destroyed by his own hands in presence of others, 
she became frantic with rage, and immediately hastened 
to secure the family jewels, and every article of value 
that she could lay her hands upon, but Mr. Campbell, 
having due notice of what she was about, came in time to 
prevent her taking them away, and, putting seals upon 
every thing and leaving careful guards in the Hall, my 
lady had gone to her father’s house, where she still re- 
mained. She had, on my arrival, sent me a message, 
imploring my mercy, and reminding me that whatever 
might be her errors, she was still the lawful wife of my 
father, and she trusted that respect to his memory would 
induce me to allow her sufficient to maintain her as Lady 
Musgrave should be. We had the consultation that Amy 
proposed, and called in Mr. Campbell as a fourth, and it 
was at last decided, that, on consideration that she .re- 
moved with her family to a distance of fifty miles from 
Faristone, she should have an income of ^300 per annum, 
as long as she conducted herself with propriety and did 
not marry again. The last clause was the only one which 
she complained of. Mr. Campbell had, at the request of 
my father, discharged Lady Musgrave’s parent from the 
office of steward and called in the old steward to resume 
his situation, and before dismissal he had to refund cer- 
tain sums of money not accounted for. 

I have now told my eventful tale ; I have only to add, 
that after all that I have passed through I have been re- 


THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 


307 


warded by many years of unalloyed happiness. My two 
sisters are well married, and my three children are all that 
a father could wish. Such, my dear Madam, have been 
the vicissitudes of a “ Privateersman,” and I now sub- 
scribe myself, 

Your most obedient, 

Alexander Musgrave. 


THE END. 



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